Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow/Wadin' in de Crick

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

Layout 2

Wadin' in de Crick

DAYS git wa'm an' wa'mah, School gits mighty dull,Seems lak dese hyeah teachahs  Mus' feel mussiful.Hookey's wrong, I know it  Ain't no gent'man's trick;But de aih's a-callin',  "Come on de crick."

Dah de watah's gu'glin'  Ovah shiny stones,Des hit's ve'y singin'  Seems to soothe yo' bones. W'at's de use o' waitin',  Go on good an' quick:Dain't no fun lak dis hyeah  Wadin' ir de crick.

W'at dat jay-b'ud sayin'?  Bettah shet yo' haid,Fus' t'ing dat you fin' out,  You'll be layin' daid.Jay-bu'ds sich a tattlah,  Des seem lak his trickFu' to tell on folkses  Wadin' in de crick.

Willer boughs a-bendin',  Hidin' of de sky,Wavin' kin' o' frien'ly  Ez de win' go by,Elum trees a-shinin',  Dahk an' green an' thick,Seem to say, "I see yo'  Wadin' in de crick,"

But de trees don' chattah,  Dey des look an' sighLak hit's kin' o' peaceful  Des a-bein' nigh,An' yo' t'ank yo' Mastah  Dat dey trunks is thickW'en yo' mammy fin's you  Wadin' in de crick.

Den yo' run behin' dem  Lak yo' scaihed to def,Mammy come a-flyin',  Mos' nigh out o' bref;But she set down gentle  An' she drap huh stick,—An, fus' t'ing, dey's mammy  Wadin' in de crick.