Lyrics of Lowly Life/Accountability

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

For other versions of this work, see Accountability (Dunbar).

Layout 2

ACCOUNTABILITY.

FOLKS ain't got no right to censuah othah
 folks about dey habits;
Him dat giv' de squir'ls de bushtails made de
 bobtails fu' de rabbits.
Him dat built de gread big mountains hollered
 out de little valleys,
Him dat made de streets an' driveways wasn't
 shamed to make de alleys.

We is all constructed diff'ent, d'ain't no two of
 us de same;
We cain't he'p ouah likes an' dislikes, ef we 'se
 bad we ain't to blame.
Ef we 'se good, we need n't show off, case you
 bet it ain't ouah doin'
We gits into su'ttain channels dat we jes' cain't
 he'p pu'suin'.

But we all fits into places dat no othah ones
 could fill,
An' we does the things we has to, big er little,
 good er ill.
John cain't tek de place o' Henry, Su an' Sally
 ain't alike;
Bass ain't nuthin' like a suckah, chub ain't
 nuthin' like a pike.

When you come to think about it, how it 's all
 planned out it 's splendid.
Nuthin 's done er evah happens, 'dout hit 's
 somefin' dat's intended;
Don't keer whut you does, you has to, an' hit
 sholy beats de dickens,—
Viney, go put on de kittle, I got one o' mastah's
 chickens.