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Wit and Humor of America, The Vol 04

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<h2>PONCHUS PILUT</h2> <h3>BY JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY</h3> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> Ponchus Pilut used to be 1st a Slave, an' now he's free. Slaves wuz on'y ist before The War wuz—an' ain't no more. </div> <div class="stanza"> He works on our place fer us,— An' comes here—sometimes he does. He shocks corn an' shucks it.—An' He makes hominy "by han'!"— </div> <div class="stanza"> Wunst he bringed us some, one trip, Tied up in a piller-slip: Pa says, when Ma cooked it, "MY! This-here's gooder'n you buy!" </div> <div class="stanza"> Ponchus pats fer me an' sings; An' he says most funny things! Ponchus calls a dish a "deesh"— Yes, an' he calls fishes "feesh"! </div> <div class="stanza"> When Ma want him eat wiv us He says, "'Skuse me—'deed you mus'!— Ponchus know good manners, Miss.— He aint eat wher' White-folks is!" </div> <div class="stanza"> 'Lindy takes his dinner out Wher' he's workin'—roun' about.— Wunst he et his dinner, spread In our ole wheel-borry-bed. </div> <div class="stanza"> Ponchus Pilut says "'at's not His right name,—an' done fergot What his sho'-nuff name is now— An' don' matter none nohow!" </div> <div class="stanza"> Yes, an' Ponchus he'ps Pa, too, When our butcherin's to do, An' scalds hogs—an' says "Take care 'Bout it, er you'll set the hair!" </div> <div class="stanza"> Yes, an' out in our back-yard He he'ps 'Lindy rendur lard; An', wite in the fire there, he Roast' a pig-tail wunst fer me.— </div> <div class="stanza"> An' ist nen th'ole tavurn-bell Rung, down town, an' he says "Well!— Hear dat! Lan' o' Canaan, Son, Aint dat bell say 'Pig-tail done!' </div> <div class="stanza"> —'Pig-tail done! Go call Son!— Tell dat Chile dat Pig-tail done!'" </div> </div> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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