Living

Bin A-Fishin'

by James Whitcomb Riley 1849–1916

From The Old Soldier's Story (1915)

Living

W'en de sun's gone down, un de moon is riz,
Bin a-fishin'! Bin a-fishin'!
It's I's aguine down wha' the by-o is!
Bin a-fishin' all night long!

Chorus

Bin a-fishin'! Bin a-fishin'!
Bin a-fishin' clean fum de dusk of night
Twell away 'long on in de mornin' light.

Bait my hook, un I plunk her down!
Bin a-fishin'! Bin a-fishin'!
Un I lay dat catfish weigh five pound!
Bin a-fishin' all night long!

Chorus

Folks tells me ut a sucker won't bite,
Bin a-fishin'! Bin a-fishin'!
Yit I lif' out fo' last Chuesday night,
Bin a-fishin' all night long!

Chorus

Little fish nibble un de big fish come;
Bin a-fishin'! Bin a-fishin'!
"Go way, little fish! I want some!"
Bin a-fishin' all night long!

Chorus

Sez de bull frog, "D-runk!" sez de ole owl, "Whoo!"
Bin a-fishin'! Bin a-fishin'!
'Spec, Mr. Nigger, dey's a-meanin' you,
Bin a-fishin' all night long!

Chorus

MLA

Riley, James Whitcomb. “Bin A-Fishin'.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/464/.

Chicago

Riley, James Whitcomb. “Bin A-Fishin'.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/464/.

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