Signs of the Times

Signs of the Times

Original Text
The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar (New York: Dodd, Mead, and Co., 1913), Facsimile in The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar, ed. Joanne M. Braxton (Charlottesville and London: University Press of Virginia, 1993), p. 77. PS 1556 AI 1993 Robarts Library.
1Air a-gittin' cool an' coolah,
2  Frost a-comin' in de night,
3Hicka' nuts an' wa'nuts fallin',
4  Possum keepin' out o' sight.
5Tu'key struttin' in de ba'nya'd,
6  Nary a step so proud ez his;
7Keep on struttin', Mistah Tu'key,
8  Yo' do' know whut time it is.
9Cidah press commence a-squeakin'
10  Eatin' apples sto'ed away,
11Chillun swa'min' 'roun' lak ho'nets,
12  Huntin' aigs ermung de hay.
13Mistah Tu'key keep on gobblin'
14  At de geese a-flyin' souf,
15Oomph! dat bird do' know whut's comin';
16  Ef he did he'd shet his mouf.
17Pumpkin gittin' good an' yallah
18  Mek me open up my eyes;
19Seems lak it's a-lookin' at me
20  Jes' a-la'in' dah sayin' "Pies."
21Tu'key gobbler gwine 'roun' blowin',
22  Gwine 'roun' gibbin' sass an' slack;
23Keep on talkin', Mistah Tu'key,
24  You ain't seed no almanac.
25Fa'mer walkin' th'oo de ba'nya'd
26  Seein' how things is comin' on,
27Sees ef all de fowls is fatt'nin' --
28  Good times comin' sho's you bo'n.
29Hyeahs dat tu'key gobbler braggin',
30  Den his face break in a smile --
31Nebbah min', you sassy rascal,
32  He's gwine nab you atter while.
33Choppin' suet in de kitchen,
34  Stonin' raisins in de hall,
35Beef a-cookin' fu' de mince meat,
36  Spices groun' -- I smell 'em all.
37Look hyeah, Tu'key, stop dat gobblin',
38  You ain' luned de sense ob feah,
39You ol' fool, yo' naik's in dangah,
40  Do' you know Thanksgibbin's hyeah?

Notes

3] Hicka': Hickory. Back to Line
6] Nary: Not Back to Line
11] Children swarming around like hornets
Hunting eggs among the hay. Back to Line
20] Just a laying there saying "Pies."
Turkey gobbler going around blowing Back to Line
28] sho's you bo'n: (as) sure as you're born Back to Line
31] Nebbah min': Never mind Back to Line
32] He's going (to) catch you in a while Back to Line
34] Stonin' raisins: Taking the seeds out of raisins Back to Line
38] Thanksgibbin's: November 27, a national holiday for Americans. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1895
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
RPO 1998.
Rhyme
abcbdefe