The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/The Boogah Man

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

   THE BOOGAH MAN
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!