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James Weldon Johnson - Tunk
Work rating: Low

(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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