Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE RABBIT TRAP, by JOHN TROTWOOD MOORE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE RABBIT TRAP, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Down in de sage fiel', settin' in de sno'
Last Line: An' little phil sleeps in de sleet an' de rain.
Subject(s): Cemeteries; Death; Death - Children; Graves; Graveyards; Dead, The; Death - Babies; Tombs; Tombstones


DOWN in de sage fiel', settin' in de sno',
I looks from de winder an' I sees whut is lef'
Uv er rickety rabbit trap, whar de tall weeds blo',
An' little Phil made it by his own little se'f.
He cut de pine sticks, an' he bent de peach bow,
An' he whittled out de triggers wid his Barlo' blade,
Den he slip off by hissef jes' es sly as he cud go,
An' sot it by de big stump in de shugar glade.

An' he laf an' he played twell de big red moon
Riz frum de medder, an' dey tole 'im "cum ter bed."
But he said: "Daddy Wash, you must wake me mighty soon,
Fur I'm gwinter ketch Brer Rabbit, sho',—an' you may have his head."

Po' little Phil! Ole Marster's lastes' chile,
An' me an' Dinah nussed 'im an' we loved 'im lak our own,
Wid sunlight allers in his heart and moonlight in his smile—
But dey am sot foreber now and lef' us here ter moan.

Fur dey saunt fur me quick dat night 'bout 'leben,
An' de white folks was cryin' 'round er little trundle-bed;
"Daddy Wash," sed po' little Phil, "I'm gwinter up to Heaben,
But you must watch my rabbit trap whilst I'm dead."

Down in de grabe yard whar de cedars blo'
I looks frum de winder an' my tears fall ergain,
Fur I sees er little grabe dar, out in de sno',
An' little Phil sleeps in de sleet an' de rain.





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