PONCHUS PILUT
BY JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY
Ponchus Pilut _used_ to be 1st a _Slave_, an' now he's _free_. Slaves wuz on'y ist before The War wuz--an' _ain't_ no more.
He works on our place fer us,-- An' comes here--_sometimes_ he does. He shocks corn an' shucks it.--An' He makes hominy "by han'!"--
Wunst he bringed us some, one trip, Tied up in a piller-slip: Pa says, when Ma cooked it, "MY! This-here's gooder'n you _buy_!"
Ponchus _pats_ fer me an' sings; An' he says most _funny_ things! Ponchus calls a dish a "_deesh_"-- Yes, an' _he_ calls fishes "_feesh_"!
When Ma want him eat wiv us He says, "'Skuse me--'deed you mus'!-- Ponchus know good manners, Miss.-- He aint eat wher' White-folks is!"
'Lindy takes _his_ dinner out Wher' he's workin'--roun' about.-- Wunst he et his dinner, spread In our ole wheel-borry-bed.
_Ponchus Pilut_ says "_'at's_ not His _right_ name,--an' done fergot What his _sho'-nuff_ name is now-- An' don' matter none _no_how!"
Yes, an' Ponchus he'ps Pa, too, When our _butcherin's_ to do, An' scalds hogs--an' says "Take care 'Bout it, er you'll _set the hair_!"
Yes, an' out in our back-yard He he'ps 'Lindy rendur lard; An', wite in the fire there, he Roast' a pig-tail wunst fer me.--
An' ist nen th'ole tavurn-bell Rung, down town, an' he says "Well!-- Hear dat! _Lan' o' Canaan_, Son, Aint dat bell say '_Pig-tail done!_'
--'_Pig-tail done! Go call Son!-- Tell dat Chile dat Pig-tail done!_'"
The Wit and Humor of America, Volume IV. (of X.) Page 9