Ben King's Verse/Under Obligations
I notice dat de weddah's rathah chilsome, mo' or less,
An' I notice dat de back-log so't o' crackles, Lor' bress?—
Ole Crimp is on de tuhnpike an' de fross is on de faince
An' Sant' Glaus 'll soon be hyah, so chillun, hab saince.
I seed Mm on Ole Massa's ruff; twar jais de oddah night,
Wid a span ob balky reindyahs, bofe um dapple gray an' white.
Dey war hitched to a monsus lookin' alligatah sleigh,
An' filled wid gifts fo' de chillun, piled ebery which un way.
Hab any ob yo' chillun bin a-sinnin'?
Or a-sassin' yo' suppearyahs, or a-grinnin'?
Yo' bettah read yo' Bible 'bout ole Moses an' delaws,
Foh yo's undah obligashuns to Ole Santa Claus.
How many ob yo' chillun bin a-tendin' to de church?
An' done made up yo' minds to leabe de debbil in de lurch,
Hab yo' tended up to Sunday-school, an' listen'd to yo' teachah ?
Does yo' always drap a nickel to try an' spote yo' preachah ?
Am yo' wilful to yo' faddah or yo' muddah?
Does yuh pestervate yo' sistah or yo' bruddah?
Yo' bettah change yo' tacticks cause, well, jess because
Yo's undah obligashuns now to Ole Santa Claus.
Kin yo' ansuah all dese questions dat yo' pastah has perferd?
Ef yo' kaint, yo' bettah hang yo' haids en nevah say a word ;
Foh yo' pastah sort ob reckons dat de debbil's bin bo'n in yuh
An' when ole Santa Claus comes roun' he 'll surely be agin yo'.
So, ef any ob yo' chillun bin a-sinnin',
Or a-sassin' yo' suppearyahs, or a-grinnin',
Yo' bettah read yo' Bible, don't yo' hesitate or pause,
Kase yo's undah obligashuns to Ole Santa Claus.