Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A SHORT'NIN' BREAD SONG - PIECED OUT by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY

Poet Analysis

First Line: BEHINE DE HEN-HOUSE, ON MY
Last Line: (CHORUS)
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

@3Fotch 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.@1

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)



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