The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/Drizzle

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

DRIZZLE

Hit 's been drizzlin' an' been sprinklin',
  Kin' o' techy all day long.
I ain't wet enough fu' toddy,
  I 's too damp to raise a song,
An' de case have set me t'inkin',
  Dat dey 's folk des lak de rain,
Dat goes drizzlin' w'en dey's talkin',
  An' won't speak out flat an' plain.

Ain't you nevah set an' listened
  At a body 'splain his min'?
W'en de t'oughts dey keep on drappin'
  Was n't big enough to fin'?
Dem 's whut I call drizzlin' people,
  Othahs call 'em mealy mouf,
But de fust name hits me bettah,
  Case dey nevah tech a drouf.

Dey kin talk from hyeah to yandah,
  An' f'om yandah hyeah ergain,
An' dey don' mek no mo' 'pression,
  Den dis powd'ry kin' o' rain.
En yo' min' is dry ez cindahs,
  Er a piece o' kindlin' wood,
'T ain't no use a-talkin' to 'em,
  Fu' dey drizzle ain't no good.

Gimme folks dat speak out nachul,
  Whut 'll say des whut dey mean,
Whut don't set dey wo'ds so skimpy
  Dat you got to guess between.
I want talk des' lak de showahs
  Whut kin wash de dust erway,
Not dat sprinklin' convusation,
  Dat des drizzle all de day.