The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/The Looking-Glass

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

For works with similar titles, see The Looking-Glass.

THE LOOKING-GLASS

Dinah stan' befo' de glass,
  Lookin' moughty neat,
An' huh purty shadder sass
  At huh haid an' feet.
While she sasshay 'roun' an' bow,
Smilin' den an' poutin' now,
An' de lookin'-glass, I 'low,
  Say: "Now, ain't she sweet?"

All she do, de glass it see,
  Hit des see, no mo',
Seems to me, hit ought to be
  Drappin' on de flo'.
She go w'en huh time git slack,
Kissin' han's an' smilin' back,
Lawsy, how my lips go smack,
  Watchin' at de do'.

Wisht I was huh lookin'-glass,
  Wen she kissed huh han';
Does you t'ink I 'd let it pass,
  Settin' on de stan'?
No; I'd des' fall down an' break,
Kin' o' glad 't uz fu' huh sake;
But de diffunce, dat whut make
  Lookin'-glass an' man.