Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow/Curiosity

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

Layout 2

CURIOSITY

MAMMY'S in de kitchen, an' de do' is
 shet;
All de pickaninnies climb an' tug an' sweat,
Gittin' to de winder, stickin' dah lak flies,
Evah one ermong us des all nose an' eyes.
"Whut's she cookin', Isaac?" "Whut's
 she cookin', Jake?"
"Is it sweet pertaters? Is hit pie er cake?"
But we couldn't mek out even whah we
 stood
Whut was mammy cookin' dat could smell
 so good.

Mammy spread de winder, an' she frown
 an' frown.
How de pickaninnies come a-tumblin ' down!
Den she say: "Ef you-all keeps a-peepin' in,
How I'se gwine to whup you, my! 't 'ill
 be a sin!
Need n' come a-sniffin' an' a-nosin' hyeah,
'Ca'se I knows my business, nevah feah."
Won't somebody tell us—how I wish dey
 would!—
Whut is mammy cookin' dat it smells so
 good?

We know she means business, an' we
 dassent stay,
Dough it's mighty tryin' fuh to go erway;
But we goes a-troopin' down de ol' wood-
 track
Twell dat steamin' kitchen brings us
 stealin' back,
Climbin' an' a-peepin' so's to see inside.
Whut on earf kin mammy be so sha'p to
 hide?
I'd des up an' tell folks w'en I knowed
 I could,
Ef I was a-cookin' t'ings dat smelt so good.

Mammy in de oven, an' I see huh smile;
Moufs mus' be a-wat'rin' roun' hyeah fuh
 a mile;
Den we almos' hollah cz we hu'ies down,
'Ca'se hit's apple dumplin's, big an' fat an'
 brown!
W'en de do' is opened, solemn lak an' slow,
Wisht you see us settin' all dah in a row
Innercent an' p'opah, des lak chillun should
W'en dey mammy's cookin' t'ings dat
 smell so good.