Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A SHORT'NIN' BREAD SONG - PIECED OUT, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Behine de hen-house, on my Last Line: (chorus) Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F. Subject(s): Farm Life; Singing & Singers; Agriculture; Farmers | ||||||||
BEHINE de hen-house, on my knees, Thought I hearn a chickin sneeze -- Sneezed so hard wi' de whoopin'-cough I thought he'd sneeze his blame' head off. CHORUS Fotch dat dough fum the kitchinshed -- Rake dem coals out hot an' red -- Putt on de oven an' putt on de led, -- Mammy's gwineter cook some short'nin' bread. O I' got a house in Baltimo' -- Street-kyars run right by my do' -- Street-kyars run right by my gate, Hit's git up soon an' set up late. (CHORUS) De raincrow hide in some ole tree An' holler out, all hoarse, at me -- Sayes, "When I sing, de rain hit po' So's you ain't 'bleedged to plow no mo'!" (CHORUS) Ole man Toad, on High-low Hill, He steal my dram an' drink his fill, -- Heels in the path, an' toes in the grass -- Hit ain't de fus' time an' shain't be de las'! (CHORUS) When corn-plantin' done come roun', Blackbird own de whole plowedgroun', -- Corn in de grain, as I've hearn said, Dat's de blackbird's short'nin' bread. (CHORUS) De sweetes' chune what evah I heard Is de sairanade o' de mockin'-bird; Whilse de mou'nfullest an' de least I love Is de Sund'y-song o' de ole woods-dove. (CHORUS) I nevah ain't know, outside o' school, A smartah mare dan my ole mule, -- I holler "Wo," an' she go "gee," Des lak, de good Lord chast'nin' me. (CHORUS) Hit's no houn'-pup I taken to raise Hain't nevah jes'ly airn' my praise: De mo' cawn-pone I feed dat pup, De mo' he des won't fattnin up. (CHORUS) I hangs a hoss-shoe ovah my head, An' I keeps a' ole sieve under de bed, So, quinchiquently, I sleep soun', Wid no ole witches pester'n' roun'. (CHORUS) I jine de chu'ch las' Chuesday night, But when Sis' Jane ain't treat me right I 'low her chu'ch ain' none o' mine, So I 'nounce to all I done on-jine. (CHORUS) | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...KICKING THE LEAVES by DONALD HALL THE FARMER'S BOY: WINTER by ROBERT BLOOMFIELD THE FARMER'S BOY: SPRING by ROBERT BLOOMFIELD THE FARMER'S BOY: SUMMER by ROBERT BLOOMFIELD THE FARMER'S BOY: AUTUMN by ROBERT BLOOMFIELD A BOY'S MOTHER by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY |
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