Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A RAT TRAP, by BELLE RICHARDSON HARRISON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A RAT TRAP, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Onct erbout de hour uv midnight, stealin' chick-/ens by de dim light
Last Line: En step on 'em—nebber more.
Subject(s): African Americans; Rats; Trapping & Trappers; Negroes; American Blacks; Traps; Snares; Trappers


ONCT erbout de hour uv midnight, stealin' chickens by de dim light
Uv de moon dat shone widin de cracks erbout de hen-house door;
Whilst dem chickens squawked en fluttered, suddently er yell I uttered,
"Debbil's got me shore." I muttered, fur er rat trap on de floor
Snapped my jaybird heel en helt it, den I started fur de door;
Darkness dar, en nothin' more.

Fur de moon giv' light no longer, but dat pain wuz gittin' stronger,
En I tore eround dat hen-house, in de dark I'd los' de door;
Suddently it swung wide open, en erfore er word wuz spoken,
Ev'y j'int I had wuz broken, being yanked erbout de floor.
Den dat white man to de lock-up marched me from his hen-house door—
Jest fur stealin', nothin' more.

In dat cell I still am sittin', chewin' en tobacco spittin',
Honin' fur dem fat young pullets drapt erpon de hen-house floor;
Killin' flies en 'skeeters shooin', O, dat trap wuz my undoin',
Dragged me 'long de road to ruin, en my heel am stiff en sore.
When dis nigger nex' goes stealin', he'll look out fur rat traps shore,
En step on 'em—nebber more.





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