Classic and Contemporary Poetry
LITTLE BROWN BABY, by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR Poem Explanation Poet's Biography First Line: Little brown baby wif spa'klin' eyes Last Line: Little brown baby wif spa'klin eyes! Subject(s): African Americans; African Americans - Children; Babies; Negroes; American Blacks; Infants | ||||||||
Little brown baby wif spa'klin' eyes, Come to yo' pappy an' set on his knee. What you been doin', suh-makin' san' pies? Look at dat bib-You's ez du'ty ez me. Look at dat mouf-dat's merlasses, I bet; Come hyeah, Maria, an' wipe off his han's. Bees gwine to ketch you an' eat you up yit, Bein' so sticky an' sweet-goodness lan's! Little brown baby wif spa'klin' eyes, Who's pappy'd darlin' an' who's pappy's chile? Who is it all de day nevah once tries Fu' to be cross, er once loses dat smile? Whah did you git dem teef? My, you's a scamp! Whah did dat diple come f'om in yo' chin? Pappy do' know you-I b'lieves you's a tramp; Mammy, dis hyeah's some ol' straggler got in! Let's throw him outen de de' in de san', We do' want stragglers a-layin' 'roun' hyeah; Let's gin him 'way to de big buggah-man; I know he's hidin' erroun' hyeah right neah. Buggah-man, buggah-man, come in de do', Hyeah's a bad boy you kin have fu' to eat. Mammy an' pappy do' want him no mo', Swaller him down f'om his haid to his feet! Dah, now, I t'ought dat you'd hug me up close. Go back, ol' buggah, you sha'n't have dis boy. He ain't no tramp, ner no straggler, of co'se; he's pappy's pa'dner an' playmate an' joy. Come to you' pallet now-go to you' res'; Wisht you could allus know ease an' cleah skies; Wisht you could stay jes' a chile on my breas'- Little brown baby wif spa'klin eyes! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A POET TO HIS BABY SON by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON BABYHOOD by ELIZABETH AKERS ALLEN INFANCY by EDMUND JOHN ARMSTRONG BALLAD OF THE LAYETTE by WAYNE KOESTENBAUM A TOAST FOR LITTLE IRON MIKE by PAUL MARIANI THE PAMPERING OF LEORA by THYLIAS MOSS ONE FOR ALL NEWBORNS by THYLIAS MOSS IN THE THRIVING SEASON by LISEL MUELLER A BANJO SONG by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR |
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