Negro Folk Rhymes Part 39

Den: When you goes to wuk, Don't never stand still; When you pull de gra.s.s, Pull it out'n de hill.

A MAN OF WORDS

A man o' words an' not o' deeds, Is lak a gyarden full o' weeds.

De weeds 'gin to grow Lak a gyarden full o' snow.

De snow 'gin to fly Lak a eagle in de sky.

De sky 'gin to roar Lak a hammer on yo' door.

De door 'gin to crack Lak a hick'ry on yo' back.

Yo' back 'gin to smart Lak a knife in yo' heart.

Yo' heart 'gin to fail Lak a boat widout a sail.

De boat 'gin to sink Lak a bottle full o' ink.

Dat ink, it won't write Neider black nor white.

Dat man o' words an' not o' deeds, Is lak a gyarden full o' weeds.

INDEPENDENT

I'se jes as innerpenunt as a pig on ice.

Gwineter git up ag'in if I slips down twice.

If I cain't git up, I can jes lie down.

I don't want no n.i.g.g.e.rs to be he'pin' me 'roun'.

TEMPERANCE RHYME

Whisky nor brandy hain't no friend to my kind.

Dey killed my po' daddy, an' dey troubled my mind.

Sometime he drunk whisky, sometime he drunk ale; Sometime he kotch de rawhide, an' sometime de flail.

On yon'er high mountain, I'll set up dar high; An' de wild geese can cheer me while pa.s.sin' on by.

Go 'way, young ladies, an' let me alone; For you know I'se a poor boy, an' a long ways from home.

Go put up de hosses an' give 'em some hay; But don't give me no whisky, so long as I stay.

For whisky nor brandy hain't friend to my kind; Dey killed my po' daddy, an' dey troubled my mind.

THAT HYPOCRITE

I tell you how dat hypocrite do, He come down to my house, an' talk about you; He talk about me, an' he talk about you; An' dat's de way dat hypocrite do.

I tell you how dat hypocrite pray.

He pray out loud in de hypocrite way.

He pray out loud, got a heap to say; An' dat's de way dat hypocrite pray.

I tell you how dat hypocrite 'ten', He 'ten' dat he love, an' he don't love men.

He 'ten' dat he love, an' he hate Br'er Ben; An' dat's de way dat hypocrite 'ten'.

DRINKING RAZOR SOUP

He's been drinkin' razzer soup; Dat sharp n.i.g.g.e.r, black lak ink.

If he don't watch dat tongue o' his, Somebody'll hurt 'im 'for' he think.

He cain't drive de pigeons t' roost, Dough he talk so big an' smart.

Hain't got de sense to tole 'em in.

Cain't more 'an drive dat ole mule chyart.

OLD MAN KNOW-ALL

Ole man Know-All, he come 'round Wid his nose in de air, turned 'way frum de ground.

His ole woolly head hain't been combed fer a week; It say: "Keep still, while Know-All speak."

Ole man Know-All's tongue, it run; He jes know'd ev'rything under de sun.

When you knowed one thing, he knowed mo'.

He 'us sharp 'nough to stick an' green 'nough to grow.

Ole man Know-All died las' week.

He got drowned in de middle o' de creek.

De bridge wus dar, an' dar to stay.

But he knowed too much to go dat way.

FED FROM THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE

I nebber starts to break my colt, Till he's ole enough to trabble.

I nebber digs my taters up Wen dey's only right to grabble.

So w'en you sees me risin' up To structify in meetin', You can know I'se climbed de Knowledge Tree An' done some apple eatin'.

THE TONGUE

Got a tongue dat jes run when it walk?

It cain't talk.

Got a tongue dat can hush when it talk?-- It cain't squawk.

BRAG AND BOAST

Brag is a big dog; But Hold Fast, he is better.

Dem big black rough hands, Dey cain't write no letter.

Boast, he barks an' growls loud; But Bulger, he hain't no s.h.i.+rker.

Dat big loud mouf n.i.g.g.e.r, He hain't never no worker.

SELF-CONTROL