A Plantation Ditty Poem by Frank Lebby Stanton

De gray owl sing fum de chimbly top:
“Who—who—is—you-oo?”
En I say: “Good Lawd, hit’s des po ’me,
En I ain’t quite ready fer de Jasper Sea;
I ’m po’ en sinful, en you ’lowed I ’d be;
Oh, wait, good Lawd, ’twell ter-morror!”

De gray owl sing fum de cypress tree:
“Who—who—is—you-oo?”
En I say: “Good Lawd, ef you look you ’ll see
Hit ain’t nobody but des po’ me,
En I like ter stay ’twell my time is free;
Oh, wait, good Lawd, ’twell ter-morror!”