Tim Gracyk's video: Paul Laurence Dunbar poems When De Co n Pone s Hot Possum Edison cylinder 1914 African-American

Two poems by Paul Laurence Dunbar "When De Co'n Pone's Hot" "Possum" Edward Sterling Wright recites Edison Blue Amberol 2153 1914 When de Co'n Pone's Hot Dey is times in life when Nature Seems to slip a cog an' go, Jes' a-rattlin' down creation, Lak an ocean's overflow; When de worl' jes' stahts a-spinnin' Lak a picaninny's top, An' yo' cup o' joy is brimmin' 'Twell it seems about to slop, An' you feel jes' lak a racah, Dat is trainin' fu' to trot— When yo' mammy says de blessin' An' de co'n pone's hot. When you set down at de table, Kin' o' weary lak an' sad, An' you 'se jes' a little tiahed An' purhaps a little mad; How yo' gloom tu'ns into gladness, How yo' joy drives out de doubt When de oven do' is opened, An' de smell comes po'in' out; Why, de 'lectric light o' Heaven Seems to settle on de spot, When yo' mammy says de blessin' An' de co'n pone's hot. When de cabbage pot is steamin' An' de bacon good an' fat, When de chittlins is a-sputter'n' So's to show you whah dey's at; Tek away yo' sody biscuit, Tek away yo' cake an' pie, Fu' de glory time is comin', An' it's 'proachin' mighty nigh, An' you want to jump an' hollah, Dough you know you'd bettah not, When yo' mammy says de blessin' An' de co'n pone's hot. I have hyeahd a' lots o' sermons, An' I've hyeahd o' lots o' prayers, An I've listened to some singin' Dat has tuck me up de stairs Of de Glory-Lan' an' set me Jes' below de Mastah's th'one, An' have lef' my hea't a-singin' In a happy aftah tone; But dem wu'ds so sweetly murmured Seem to tech de softes' spot, When my mammy says de blessin', An' de co'n pone's hot. ____________________________________________ 2nd poem Ef dey's anyt'ing dat riles me An' jes' gits me out o' hitch, Twell I want to tek my coat off, So's to r'ar an' t'ar an' pitch, Hit's to see some ign'ant white man 'Mittin' dat owdacious sin-- W'en he want to cook a possum Tekin' off de possum's skin. W'y, dey ain't no use in talkin', Hit jes' hu'ts me to de haht Fu' to see dem foolish people Th'owin' 'way de fines' paht. W'y, dat skin is jes' ez tendah An' ez juicy ez kin be; I knows all erbout de critter-- Hide an' haih--don't talk to me! Possum skin is jes' lak shoat skin; Jes' you swinge an' scrope it down, Tek a good sha'p knife an' sco' it, Den you bake it good an' brown. Huh-uh! honey, you's so happy Dat yo' thoughts is 'mos' a sin When you's settin' dah a-chawin' On dat possum's cracklin' skin. White folks t'nk dey know 'bout eatin', An' I reckon dat dey do Sometimes git a little idee Of a miedlin' dish er two; But dey ain't a t'ing dey knows of Dat I rekon cain't be beat W'en we set down at de table To a unskun possum's meat! Paul Laurence Dunbar poems "When De Co'n Pone's Hot" "Possum" Edison cylinder 1914, African-American