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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE SUITOR by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

First Line: MISS MARFY SCO'N YOUNG ISAAC SO
Last Line: BY A GOOD OL' HICK'RY FIAH.
Subject(s): COURTSHIP;
Miss Marfy sco'n young Issac so,
He swaih he sholy die;
He stan' befo huh cabin do',
An' hol' his hea't an' sigh.
Oh, swing yo' lady roun' and roun',
An' grant huh gent' man's grace;
Fu' dey's a smile behine de frown
On evah lady's face.

Miss Marfy cas' huh mantle down;
Young Issac tek it up.
De smile hit chase erway huh frown;
She ax him in to sup.
Miss Marfy drap huh han'kerchuh;
Young Issac pick it up.
He say he didn't need wid huh
No sugah in his cup.

Miss Marfy talk; young Issac smile,
An' mos' fu'git to eat,
An' kind o' back'ard aftahw'ile
He daihed to call huh sweet.

Young Issac ain't a-sighin' now,
He swaihs he nevah did;
He lookin' fu' a' o'ange bough
To deck Miss Marfy wid.
Oh, swing yo' lady roun' an' roun',
An' grant huh gent'man's grace;
Fu' dey's a smile behine de frown
On evah lady's face.

Mebbe some one comes to jine you;
Well, dat's good, but not de bes',
Less'n dat you's kind o' lonesome,
Er ain't honin' fu' de res'.
Den you wants to tell a sto'y,
Er you wants to hyeah de news
Kind o' hald tol', while you's stealin'
Ev'y now an' den a snooze.

W'en you's tiahed out a-hoein',
Er a-followin' de plow,
Whut's de use of des a-fallin'
On yo' pallet lak a cow?
W'y, de fun is all in waitin'
In de face of all de tiah,
An' a-dozin' an' a-drowsin'
By a good ol' hick'ry fiah.



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