James D. Corrothers, "A Dixie Thanksgivin'" (1901)
Hyar it am Thanksgivin '!
Ole man gittin' stiff an ' so'e
Hahdly make a livin'.
But. sah, when Thanksgivin ' come .
Honey, I ain't nevah glum;
'Ca'se ma dinnah'll sho ' be some
Bress de good Thanksgivin '!
Bes'es ' white folks in dis town
Sent a turkey to me
'N evathing to go aroun ' -
Dat's de way de do me.
Lucy Ann's a-comin ' down
Fuh to bake it nice and brown ;
Den we'll 'vite de preachah 'roun ' ---
No time to be gloomy!
Lucy Ann's my dorter, chile ,
Wo'kin ' fuh de white folks
Up de road about amile .-
One o' dese hyar light folks .
Roun' 'hyar she's de cullud belle ,
Preachah's sot to huh aspell ,
But when Lucy marries — well ,
Dey mus ' be de right folks!
Lucy's mammy's dead an ' gone
Sence she was a baby :
Tuk mah chile an' trabbled on --
Raised huh lak a lady !
She ken ciphah , wash an ' cook .
An' she reads me f'om de Book
Dat lights up de pati I's took
To'rds de lan' dat's shady .
But, sah, come aroun ' tonight ,
Ef you wouldn't mine it;
Take de road dah to de right.
Easy 'nough to fine it:
Come an' tas'e dat dinnah, sah,
'N' meet the preachah `n` Lucy : fuh ,
Ef he wants a 'ceipt fuh huh,
You'll be dar to sign it
Published in Colored American Magazine, April 1901