A GRIEVANCE

Wen de snow‘ s a-fallin’

An’ de win’ is col’.

Mammy‘ mence a-callin’,

Den she‘ mence to scol’,

“Lucius Lishy Brackett,

Do n't you go out do's,

Button up yo’ jacket,

Les'n you‘ ll git froze.”

I sit at de windah

Lookin’ at de groun’,

Nuffin nigh to hindah,

Mammy ain’ erroun’;

Wish‘ t she would n’ mek me

Set down in dis chaih;

Pshaw, it would n't tek me

Long to git some aih.

So I jump down nimble

Ez a boy kin be,

Dough I‘ s all a-trimble

Feahed some one‘ ll see;

Bet in a half a minute

I fly out de do’

An’ I‘ s knee-deep in it,

Dat dah blessed snow.

Den I hyeah a pattah

Come acrost de flo’.

Den dey comes a clattah

At de cabin do’;

An’ my mammy holler

Spoilin’ all my joy,

“Come in f'om dat waller,

Do n't I see you, boy?”

Wen de snow‘ s a-sievin’

Down ez sof ez meal,

Whut‘ s de use o’ livin’

‘ Cept you got de feel

Of de stuff dat's fallin’

‘ Roun’ an’ white an’ damp,

‘ Dout some one a-callin’,

“Come in hyeah, you scamp!”