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A poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar

The Boogah Man

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Title:     The Boogah Man
Author: Paul Laurence Dunbar [More Titles by Dunbar]

W'en de evenin' shadders
Come a-glidin' down,
Fallin' black an' heavy
Ovah hill an' town,
Ef you listen keerful,
Keerful ez you kin,
So 's you boun' to notice
Des a drappin' pin;
Den you 'll hyeah a funny
Soun' ercross de lan';
Lay low; dat's de callin'
Of de Boogah Man!

_Woo-oo woo-oo!_
_Hyeah him ez he go erlong de way;_
_Woo-oo, woo-oo!_
_Don' you wish de night 'ud t'un to day?_
_Woo-oo, woo-oo!_
_Hide yo' little peepers 'hind yo' han;_
_Woo-oo, woo-oo!_
_Callin' of de Boogah Man._

W'en de win 's a-shiverin'
Thoo de gloomy lane,
An' dey comes de patterin'
Of de evenin' rain,
W'en de owl's a-hootin',
Out daih in de wood,
Don' you wish, my honey,
Dat you had been good?
'T ain't no use to try to
Snuggle up to Dan;
Bless you, dat's de callin'
Of de Boogah Man!

Ef you loves yo' mammy,
An' you min's yo' pap,
Ef you nevah wriggles
Outen Sukey's lap;
Ef you says yo' "Lay me"
Evah single night
'Fo' dey tucks de kivers
An' puts out de light,
Den de rain kin pattah
Win' blow lak a fan,
But you need n' bothah
'Bout de Boogah Man!


[The end]
Paul Laurence Dunbar's poem: Boogah Man

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