Page:Negro poets and their poems (IA negropoetstheirp00kerl).pdf/248

226 Darfo’ I hope yer’ll he’p me ter pass mah las’ days easy, En keep er fire in de stove en somep’n in de pan. I know it’s hard ter do it, en I’m sorry I kain’t he’p yer; But me ’n de doctor bofe knows I’m er mighty sick man.

James Weldon Johnson entitled a section of his book Jingles and Croons. Among these pieces, so disparagingly designated, are to be found some of the best dialect writing in the whole range of Negro literature. Every quality of excellence is there. The one piece I give is perhaps not above the average of a score in his book:

Breeze a-sighin’ and a-blowin’, Southern summer night. Stars a-gleamin’ and a-glowin’, Moon jus shinin’ right. Strollin’, like all lovers do, Down de lane wid Lindy Lou; Honey on her lips to waste; ’Speck I’m gwine to steal a taste. Oh, ma lady’s lips am like de honey, Ma lady’s lips am like de rose; An’ I’m jes like de little bee a-buzzin’ ’Round de flowers wha’ de nectah grows. Ma lady’s lips dey smile so temptin’, Ma lady’s teeth so white dey shine, Oh, ma lady’s lips so tantalizin’, Ma lady’s lips so close to mine.