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Paul Laurence Dunbar - At Night
Work rating: Low

Whut time `d dat clock strike?
        Nine? No--eight;
    I didn`t think hit was so late.
  Aer chew! I must `a` got a cough,
    I raally b`lieve I did doze off--
  Hit`s mighty soothin` to de tiah,
    A-dozin` dis way by de fiah;
  Oo oom--hit feels so good to stretch
    I sutny is one weary wretch!

  Look hyeah, dat boy done gone to sleep!
    He des ain`t wo`th his boa`d an` keep;
  I des don`t b`lieve he`d bat his eyes
    If Gab`el called him fo`m de skies!
  But sleepin`s good dey ain`t no doubt--
    Dis pipe o` mine is done gone out.
  Don`t bu`n a minute, bless my soul,
    Des please to han` me dat ah coal.

  You `Lias git up now, my son,
    Seems lak my nap is des begun;
  You sutny mus` ma`k down de day
    Wen I treats comp`ny dis away!
  W`y, Brother Jones, dat drowse come on,
   An` laws! I dremp dat you was gone!
  You `Lias, whaih yo` mannahs, suh,
    To hyeah me call an` nevah stuh!

  To-morrer mo`nin` w`en I call
    Dat boy`ll be sleepin` to beat all,
  Don`t mek no diffunce how I roah,
    He`ll des lay up an` sno` and sno`.
  Now boy, you done hyeahed whut I said,
    You bettah tek yo`se`f yo baid,
  Case ef you gits me good an` wrong
    I`ll mek dat sno` a diffunt song.

  Dis wood fiah is invitin` dho`,
    Hit seems to wa`m de ve`y flo`--
  An` nuffin` ain`t a whit ez sweet,
    Ez settin` toastin` of yo` feet.
  Hit mek you drowsy, too, but La!
    Hyeah, `Lias, don`t you hyeah yo` ma?
  Ef I gits sta`ted f`om dis cheah
    I` lay, you scamp, I`ll mek you heah!

  To-morrer mo`nin` I kin bawl
    Twell all de neighbohs hyeah me call;
  An` you`ll be snoozin` des ez deep
    Ez if de day was made fu` sleep;
  Hit`s funny when you got a cough
    Somehow yo` voice seems too fu` off--
  Can`t wake dat boy fu` all I say,
  I reckon he`ll sleep daih twell day!
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