In the Morning
‘Lias! ‘Lias! Bless de Lawd!Don’ you know de day’s erbroad?Ef you don’ git up, you scamp,Dey ‘ll be trouble in dis camp.T’ink I gwine to let you sleepW’ile I meks yo’ boa’d an’ keep?Dat’s a putty howdy-do—Don’ you hyeah me, ‘Lias—you?
Bet ef I come crost dis flo’You won’ fin’ no time to sno’.Daylight all a-shinin’ inWile you sleep—w’y hit’s a sin!Ain’t de can’le-light enoughTo bu’n out widout a snuff,But you go de mo’nin’ thooBu’nin’ up de daylight too?
‘Lias, don’ you hyeah me call?No use tu’nin’ to’ds de wall;I kin hyeah dat mattuss squeak;Don’ you hyeah me w’en I speak?Dis hyeah clock done struck off six—Ca’line, bring me dem ah sticks!Oh, you down, suh; huh, you down—Look hyeah, don’ you daih to frown.
Ma’ch yo’se’f an’ wash yo’ face,Don’ you splattah all de place;I got somep’n else to do,‘Sides jes’ cleanin’ aftah you.Tek dat comb ah’ fix yo’ haid—Looks jes’ lak a feddah baid.Look hyeah, boy, I let you seeYou sha’ n’t roll yo’ eyes at me.
Come hyeah; bring me dat ah strap!Boy, I’ll whup you ‘twell you drap;You done felt yo’se’f too strong,An’ you sholy got me wrong.Set down at dat table thaih;Jes’ you whimpah ef you daih!Evah mo’nin’ on dis place,Seem lak I mus’ lose my grace.
Fol’ yo’ han’s an’ bow yo’ haid—Wait ontwell de blessin’ ‘s said;“Lawd, have mussy on ouah souls—“(Don’ you daih to tech dem rolls—)“Bless de food we gwine to eat—“(You set still-I see yo’ feet;You jes’ try dat trick agin!)“Gin us peace an’ joy. Amen!”