Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow/Limitations

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

Layout 2

LIMITATIONS

EF you's only got de powah fe' to blow a
little whistle,
 Keep ermong de people wid de whistles.
Ef you don't, you'll fin' out sho'tly dat you's
  th'owed yo' fines' feelin'
 In a place dat's all a bed o' thistles.
'Tain't no use a-goin' now, ez sho's you bo'n,
A-squeakin' of yo' whistle 'g'inst a gread big
  ho'n.

Ef you ain't got but a teenchy bit o' victuals
  on de table,
 Whuť de use a-claimin' hit's a feas'?

Fe' de folks is mighty 'spicious, an' dey's ap'
  to come a-peerin',
 Lookin' fe' de scraps you lef at leas'.
W'en de meal's a-hidin' f'om de meal-bin's top,
You needn't talk to hide it; ef you sta'ts, des
  stop.

Ef yo' min' kin only carry half a pint o' com-
  mon idees,
 Don' go roun' a-sayin' hit's a bar'l;
'Ca'se de people gwine to test you, an' dey'll
  fin' out you's a-lyin',
 Den dey'll twis' yo' sayin's in a snarl.
Wuss t'ing in de country dat I evah hyahed—
A crow dot sat a-squawkin', "I's a mockin'-
  bird."