The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/A Grievance

A GRIEVANCE

Wen de snow 's a-fallin' An' de win' is col'. Mammy 'mence a-callin', Den she 'mence to scol', "Lucius Lishy Brackett, Don't you go out do's, Button up yo' jacket,  Les'n you 'll git froze."

I sit at de windah Lookin' at de groun', Nuffin nigh to hindah, Mammy ain' erroun'; Wish 't she would n' mek me Set down in dis chaih; Pshaw, it would n't tek me Long to git some aih.

So I jump down nimble Ez a boy kin be, Dough I 's all a-trimble Feahed some one 'll see; Bet in a half a minute I fly out de do' An' I 's knee-deep in it, Dat dah blessed snow.

Den I hyeah a pattah Come acrost de flo'. Den dey comes a clattah At de cabin do'; An' my mammy holler Spoilin' all my joy, "Come in f'om dat waller, Don't I see you, boy?"

Wen de snow 's a-sievin' Down ez sof ez meal, Whut 's de use o' livin' 'Cept you got de feel Of de stuff dat's fallin' 'Roun' an' white an' damp, 'Dout some one a-callin', "Come in hyeah, you scamp!"