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James Weldon Johnson - TunkJames Weldon Johnson - Tunk
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(A Lecture on Modern Education) Look heah, Tunk! Now, ain`t dis awful! T`ought I sont you off to school. Don`t you know dat you is growin` up to be a reg`lah fool? Whah`s dem books dat I`s done bought you? Look heah, boy, you tell me quick, Whah`s dat Webster blue-back spellah an` dat bran` new `rifmatic? W`ile I`m t`inkin` you is lahnin` in de school, why bless ma soul! You off in de woods a-playin`. Can`t you do like you is tole? Boy, I tell you, it`s jes scan`lous d`way dat you is goin` on. An` you sholy go`n be sorry, jes as true as you is bo`n. Heah I`m tryin` hard to raise you as a credit to dis race, An` you tryin` heap much harder fu` to come up in disgrace. Dese de days w`en men don`t git up to de top by hooks an` crooks; Tell you now, dey`s got to git der standin` on a pile o` books. W`en you sees a darkey goin` to de fiel` as soon as light, Followin` a mule across it f`om de mawnin` tel de night, Wukin` all his life fu` vittles, hoein` `tween de cott`n rows, W`en he knocks off ole an` tiah`d, ownin` nut`n but his clo`es, You kin put it down to ignunce, aftah all what`s done an` said, You kin bet dat dat same darkey ain`t got nut`n in his head. Ain`t you seed dem w`ite men set`n in der awfice? Don`t you know Dey goes der `bout nine each mawnin`? Bless yo` soul, dey`s out by fo`. Dey jes does a little writin`; does dat by some easy means; Gals jes set an` play piannah on dem printin` press muchines. Chile, dem men knows how to figgah, how to use dat little pen, An` dey knows dat blue-back spellah f`om beginnin` to de en`. Dat`s de `fect of education; dat`s de t`ing what`s gwine to rule; Git dem books, you lazy rascal! Git back to yo` place in school!
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