Bro.  Turner

“Yes, I didn’ ’spect to git here—­but here I is!”

Bro.  Simmons

“Now, gent’mens, make yo’selves to home,
Dare’s nothin’ to fear—­my ole ’ooman’s gone—­
My stars; da weather’s pow’ful warm—­
I wouldn’ be s’prised ef we had a storm.”

Bro.  Brown

“No, Brother Simmons, we kin safely say—­
’Tain’t gwine to be no storm to-day
Kase here am facts dat’s mighty plain
An’ any time you sees ’em you kin look fuh rain: 
Any time you hears da cheers an’ tables crack
An’ da folks wid rheumatics—­dare jints is on da rack—­”

All

“Lookout fuh rain, rain, rain.

“When da ducks quack loud an’ da peacocks cry,
An’ da far off hills seems to be right nigh,
Prepare fuh rain, rain, rain!

“When da ole cat on da hearth wid her velvet paws
‘Gins to wipin’ over her whiskered jaws,
Sho’ sign o’ rain, rain, rain!

“When da frog’s done changed his yaller vest,
An’ in his brown suit he is dressed,
Mo’ rain, an’ still mo’ rain!

“When you notice da air it Stan’s stock still,
An’ da blackbird’s voice it gits so awful shrill,
Dat am da time fuh rain.

“When yo’ dog quits bones an’ begins to fas’,
An’ when you see him eatin’; he’s eatin’ grass: 
Shoes’, trues’, cert’nes sign ob rain!”

Refrain

“No, Brother Simmons, we kin safely say,
’Tain’t gwine tuh be no rain to-day,
Kase da sut ain’t fallin’ an’ da dogs ain’t sleep,
An’ you ain’t seen no spiders fum dare cobwebs creep;
Las’ night da sun went bright to bed,
An’ da moon ain’t nevah once been seen to hang her head;
If you’se watched all dis, den you kin safely say,
Dat dare ain’t a-gwine to be no rain to-day.”

    Waverley Turner Carmichael

KEEP ME, JESUS, KEEP ME

Keep me ’neath Thy mighty wing,
Keep me, Jesus, keep me;
Help me praise Thy Holy name,
Keep me, Jesus, keep me. 
O my Lamb, come, my Lamb,
O my good Lamb,
Save me, Jesus, save me.

Hear me as I cry to Thee;
Keep me, Jesus, keep me;
May I that bright glory see;
Keep me, Jesus, keep me. 
O my Lamb, my good Lamb,
O my good Lamb,
Keep me, Jesus, keep me.

WINTER IS COMING

De winter days are drawin’ nigh
An’ by the fire I sets an’ sigh;
De nothe’n win’ is blowin’ cold,
Like it done in days of old.

De yaller leafs are fallin’ fas’,
Fur summer days is been an’ pas’;
The air is blowin’ mighty cold,
Like it done in days of old.

De frost is fallin’ on de gras’
An’ seem to say “Dis is yo’ las’”—­
De air is blowin’ mighty cold
Like it done in days of old.

    Alice Dunbar-Nelson

SONNET