The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/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. Tink I gwine to let you sleep W'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' in W'ile you sleep --w'y hit's a sin! Aint de can'le-light enough To bu'n out widout a snuff, But you go de mo'nin' thoo Bu'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 an' fix yo' haid!-- Looks jes' lak a feddah baid. Look hyeah, boy, I let you see You 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!"