Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


COONIE IN DE HOLLER by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN KING

First Line: COONIE IN DE HOLLER HIDIN' HIN' DE LOGS,
Last Line: HYAR DAT DISTANT THUNDAH; GUESS DAT SPRING AM SPRUNG.
Subject(s): AFRICAN AMERICANS; BLACKS; SPRING; NEGROES; AMERICAN BLACKS;

COONIE in de holler hidin' hin' de logs,
Little picaninies ketchin' pollywogs,
Banjo am a ping ping pingin'out a tune,
Ebery t'ing am lubly as a day in June.

Ping, ping, ping, banjo am a-pingin',
Sing, sing, sing, yaller gals a-singin',
Wing, wing, wing, ain't dat wingin' fine?
De same ole step in de ole coonjine.

Cindy in de kitchen tryin' out de lard,
Jusy in de do'way, rakin' up de yard,
Jaspah am a-pickin' on de ole banjo
An' he am a-singin' "I'se gwine home to Clo."

Coonie in de holler done gone up a tree,
An' he am a-hidin' whar no one can see.
But he know his bizness nuff not to come down,
Kase he know him likely meet dat frocious houn'.

Coonie in de holler, hark, I hyar a gun,
Git a-goin' Rasmus, Jube git up an' run,
All de foolish niggahs runnin' till dey pant,
Bet my bottom dollah Rube has treed an ant.

"Pee, wee, wee," pee wees in de cedars,
Bluebirds come, robins an' de leaders,
Cudder-rudder-rung, bullfrog just now sung,
Hyar dat distant thundah; guess dat spring am sprung.



Home: PoetryExplorer.net