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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SONG by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

First Line: DE BEE HIT SIP SOME HONEY F'OM DE MATERMONY VINE
Last Line: IS YO' LIPS MY LITTLE LADY AN' YO' BREF.
De bee hit sip some honey f'om de matermony vine,
De hummin'-bird hit lingahs roun' de rose.
De honey-suckle's sweetah dan de swetes' muscadine
An' de mo'nin'-glory's tu'nin' up its nose.

De pinks is sayin' "pick us" ez de pansy meet dey eye,
W'ile de pansies's sayin' "look at us an' hush."
An' you'd hyeah de lily quoilin' w'en de two is passin' by
Ef it wasn't fu' de wablin' of de frush.

In de fiel' de flags is wavin' in a tantalizin' way,
Kin o' 'joicin' case de daisies all is daid.
But de fall flowehs come a-sayin' "needn't laugh, you've had yo' day
An' de fros' 'll lay de sod erpon yo' haid.

Oh, I know dey ain' no tulips an' de vi'lets died in May,
Deys lots o' folks dat miss 'em too, I 'low
But dey didn't have no pu'fume fu' to speak of anyway
So what's de use o' moanin' fu' 'em now.

De flowehs may die in Springtime an' de flowehs may die Fall,
An' people kin go cryin' 'bout dey def --
But sweetah dan de blossoms an' mo' fragrantah dan all
Is yo' lips my little lady an' yo' bref.



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