James D. Corrothers, "A Thanksgivin' Turkey" (1901)
'N' han' me dat ah almanac .
W'y, land ! t'morrer's Thanksgivin '!
Got to git out an ' make hay ,—
Don' keer whut de preachah say,—
We mus ' eat Thanksgivin ' day ,
Uz sho' uz you's a-libbin '.
You know whah Mahs Hudson libs ?
Dey's a turkey dah dat gibs
Me a heap o' trouble .
Some day Hudson g'ine to miss
Dat owdashus fowl o' his :
I's g'ine ober dah an' twis'
'At gobbler's nake plumb double .
Goin' pas ' dah t'othah day ,
Turkey strutted up an' say:
"A-gobble, gobble, gobble."
Much uz ef he mout remahk :
"Don' you wish at it wuz dabk ?
Ain't I temptin' ? " SI: " You hahk ,
Er else dey'll be a squabble.
"Take an' wring yo ' nake right quick,
Light on you lak a thousan ' brick.
'N' you won't know whut befell you ."
'N 'I went on. Vit, evah day .
When I goes by that -a-way ,
'At fowl has too much to say :
'N' I'm tiahd uv it. I tell you .
Gine to go dis bressed night ,
An' put out dat turkey's light,
'N' I'll lam him lak a cobblah .
Take keer . 'Cindy, lemme pass :
Got to do ma wo'k up fas '.
Ain't a-gine to take no sass
Off no man's turkey-gobblah.
Published in Century [date unknown]
Also published in Colored American Magazine, April 1901