Sidney Lanier

“ YOU screech, and swish de water, Satan! I’se a gwine to pray.
O hebbenly Marster, what thou willest, dat mus’ be jes’ so,
And ef Thou hast bespoke de word, some nigger’s bound to go.
Den, Lord, please take ole Jim, and lef young Dinah hyar below!
‘Scuse Dinah, ’scuse her, Marster; for she’s sich a little chile,
She hardly jes’ begin to scramble up de homeyard stile,
But dis ole traveller’s feet been tired dis many a many a mile.
I’se wufless as de rotten pole of las’ year’s fodder-stack.
De rheumatiz done bit my bones; you hear ’em crack and crack? ”

“ I heerd you thrashin’ th’u’ de bushes when he showed his face!
You fool, you think de Debble couldn’t beat YOU in a race?
I tell you, Dinah, jes’ as shuh as you is standin’ dar,
When folks starts prayin’, answer-angels drops down th’u’ de a’r. ”

“ IS dat black angel done come back to call ole Jim f’om hyar?
My stars, dat cain’t be Sarah, shuh! Jes’ listen, Dinah, NOW!
What KIN be comin’ up dat bend, a-makin’ sich a row?
Fus’ bellerin’ like a pawin’ bull, den squealin’ like a sow? ”