The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/My Sweet Brown Gal

MY SWEET BROWN GAL

W'en de clouds is hangin' heavy in de sky, An' de win's 's a-taihin' moughty vig'rous by, I don' go a-sighin' all erlong de way; I des' wo'k a-waitin' fu' de close o' day.

Case I knows w'en evenin' draps huh shadders down, I won' care a smidgeon fu' de weathah's frown; Let de rain go splashin', let de thundah raih, Dey 's a happy sheltah, an' I 's goin' daih.

Down in my ol' cabin wa'm ez mammy's toas', 'Taters in de fiah layin' daih to roas'; No one daih to cross me, got no talkin' pal, But I 's got de comp'ny o' my sweet brown gal.

So I spen's my evenin' listenin' to huh sing, Lak a blessid angel; how huh voice do ring! Sweetah den a bluebird flutterin' erroun', W'en he sees de steamin' o' de new ploughed groun'.

Den I hugs huh closah, closah to my breas'. Need n't sing, my da'lin', tek you' hones' res'. Does I mean Malindy, Mandy, Lize er Sal? No, I means my fiddle-dat's my sweet brown gal!