FISHING

Wen I git up in de mo'nin’ an’ de clouds is big an’ black,

Dey's a kin’ o’ wa'nin’ shivah goes a-scootin’ down my back;

Den I says to my ol’ ooman ez I watches down de lane,

“Do n't you so't o’ reckon, Lizy, dat we gwine to have some rain?”

“Go on, man,” my Lizy answah, “you cai n't fool me, not a bit,

I do n't see no rain a-comin’, ef you's wishin’ fu’ it, quit;

Case de mo’ you t'ink erbout it, an de mo’ you pray an’ wish,

W'y de rain stay‘ way de longah, spechul ef you wants to fish.”

But I see huh pat de skillet, an’ I see huh cas’ huh eye

Wid a kin’ o’ anxious motion to'ds de da'kness in de sky;

An’ I knows whut she‘ s a-t'inkin’, dough she tries so ha'd to hide.

She‘ s a-sayin’, “Would n't catfish now tas'e monst'ous bully, fried?”

Den de clouds git black an’ blackah, an’ de thundah‘ mence to roll,

An’ de rain, it‘ mence a-fallin’. Oh, I's happy, bless my soul!

Ez I look at dat ol’ skillet, an’ I‘ magine I kin see

Jes’ a slew o’ new-ketched catfish sizzlin’ daih fu’ huh an’ me.

‘ T ai n't no use to go a-ploughin’, fu’ de groun’‘ ll be too wet,

So I puts out fu’ de big house at a moughty pace, you bet,

An’ ol’ mastah say, “Well, Lishy, ef you t'ink hit‘ s gwine to rain,

Go on fishin’, hit‘ s de weathah, an’ I‘ low we cai n't complain.”

Talk erbout a dahky walkin’ wid his haid up in de aih!

Have to feel mine evah minute to be sho’ I got it daih;

En’ de win’ is cuttin’ capahs an’ a-lashin’ thoo de trees,

But de rain keeps on a-singin’ blessed songs, lak “Tek yo’ ease.”

Wid my pole erpon my shouldah an’ my wo'm can in my han’,

I kin feel de fish a-waitin’ w'en I strikes de rivah's san’;

Nevah min’, you ho'ny scoun'els, need n’ swim erroun’ an’ grin,

I‘ ll be grinnin’ in a minute w'en I‘ mence to haul you in.

W'en de fish begin to nibble, an’ de co'k begin to jump,

I‘ s erfeahed dat dey‘ ll quit bitin’, case dey hyeah my hea't go “thump,”

‘ Twell de co'k go way down undah, an’ I raise a awful shout,

Ez a big ol’ yallah belly comes a gallivantin’ out.

Need n't wriggle, Mistah Catfish, case I got you jes’ de same,

You been eatin’, I‘ ll be eatin’, an’ we needah ai n't to blame.

But you need n't feel so lonesome fu’ I‘ s th'owin’ out to see

Ef dey ai n't some of yo’ comrades fu’ to keep you company.

Spo't, dis fishin’! now you talkin’, w'y dey ai n't no kin’ to beat;

I don’ keer ef I is soakin’, laigs, an’ back, an’ naik, an’ feet,

It‘ s de spo't I‘ s lookin’ aftah. Hit‘ s de pleasure an’ de fun,

Dough I knows dat Lizy‘ s waitin’ wid de skillet w'en I's done.