Lyrics of Love and Laughter
by Paul Laurence Dunbar
The Boogah Man
Additional Information
- Year Published: 1913
- Language: English
- Country of Origin: United States of America
- Source: Dunbar, P.L. (1913). The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar. New York: Dodd, Mead, and Company.
-
Readability:
- Flesch–Kincaid Level: 6.5
- Word Count: 282
- Genre: Poetry
- ✎ Cite This
Downloads
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!