The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/Whip-Poor-Will and Katy-Did

WHIP-POOR-WILL AND KATY-DID

Slow de night 's a-fallin', An' I hyeah de callin, Out erpon de lonesome hill; Soun' is moughty dreary, Solemn-lak an' skeery, Sayin' fu' to "whip po' Will."

Now hit 's moughty tryin', Fu' to hyeah dis cryin', 'Deed hit 's mo' den I kin stan'; Sho' wid all our slippin', Dey 's enough of whippin' 'Dout a bird a'visin' any man.

In de noons o' summah Dey 's anothah hummah Sings anothah song instid; An' his th'oat 's a-swellin' Wid de joy o' tellin', But he says dat "Katy did."

Now I feels onsuhtain; Won't you raise de cu'tain Ovah all de ti'ngs dat 's hid? W'y dat feathahed p'isen Goes erbout a-visin' Whippin' Will w'en Katy did?