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Paul Laurence Dunbar - Puttin` The Baby Away
Work rating: Low

EIGHT of `em hyeah all tol` an` yet
Dese eyes o` mine is wringin` wet;
My haht`s a-achin` ha`d an` so`,
De way hit nevah ached befo`;
My soul`s a-pleadin`, "Lawd give back
Dis little lonesome baby black,
Dis one, dis las` po` he`pless one
Whose little race was too soon run."
Po` Little Jim, des fo` yeahs` ol`
A-layin` down so still an` col`.
Somehow hit don` seem ha`dly faih,
To have my baby lyin` daih
Wi`dout a smile upon his face,
Wi`dout a look erbout de place;
He ust to be so full o` fun
Hit don` seem right dat all`s done, done.
Des eight in all but I don` caih,
Dey wa`nt a single one to spaih;
De worl` was big, so was my haht,
An` dis hyeah baby owned hit`s paht;
De house was po`, dey clothes was rough,
But daih was meat an` meal enough;
An` daih was room fu` little Jim;
Oh! Lawd, what made you call fu` him?
It do seem monst`ous ha`d to-day,
To lay dis baby boy away;
I`d learned to love his teasin` smile,
He mought o` des been lef` erwhile;
You wouldn`t t`ought wid all de folks,
Dat`s roun` hyeah mixin` teahs an` jokes,
De Lawd u`d had de time to see
Dis chile an` tek him `way f`om me.
But let it go, I reckon Jim,
`ll des go right straight up to Him
Dat took him f`om his mammy`s nest
An` lef` dis achin` in my breas`,
An` lookin` in dat fathah`s face
An` `memberin` dis lone sorrerin` place,
He`ll say, "Good Lawd, you ought to had
Do sumpin` fu` to comfo`t dad!"
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