Signs O’ Rain Poem by James Ephraim McGirt

Whin yoah corns an' bunions achin',
An' yoah body's full o' pain,
Yo' can res' right shure an' sertin',
Dat we's goin' 'o hav' som' rain.

Cours' de achin' is not plesen'
Tho' I wish it I mus' fes,
But not 'caus' I lov' de hurtin',
But I kno' I'll get som' res'.

In de winter I go, huntin',
Wh'n de groun' is white wi'h snow,
In de summer I go, fishin',
Wh'n de groun's too wet to plow.

Do yo' hear de dogs a barkin',
Lik' da's struck a raccoon trail,
Sho' sine o' fallin' weather,
Chile, I's neber seen it fail.

Run out, Jacob, look back Southward,
An' see if ther's a cloud in sight,
Goshie, wh't a clap o' thunder,
Clouds 're hangin' black as night.

Jacob heard de rain a fallin',
Pitter patter on de roof,
Fold his arms and looked at Hannah,
Now yo' see I's tol' de truth.

Daddy in de chimney corner,
Jake, I hear you wishin' rain,
Yes sur, dad, de garden parchin'
Don't yo' think 'twill help de grain?