Mythology & Folklore
The Great Owl's Song
From Negro Folk Rhymes (1922)
Ah-hoo-hoo? Ah-hoo-hoo? Ah-hoo-hoo----?
An' who'll cook fer Kelline, an' who'll cook fer you----?
I will cook fer myse'f, I won't cook fer you.
Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo----!
Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo----!
I wonder if Kelline would not cook fer Hue----?
Fer dis is Big Sandy! It's Big Sandy Hue----!
Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo----!
Ah-ha-hah! Ah-ha-hah! Ah-ha-hah! Ah-hah----!
I thought you 'us ole Bill Jack as black as de tah.
You really must 'scuse me, my "Honey Lump Pa."
Ah-ha-hah! Ah-ha-hah! Ah-ha-hah! Ah-hah----!
An' since I'se been Kelline, an' you'se Big Sandy Hue;
I will cook fer myse'f, an' I will cook fer you.
I'll love you forever, an' sing in de dew:
"Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo----!"
Yes!--Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-all!
Now, we'll cook fer ourse'fs, but who'll cook fer you all?
Fer Tom Dick an' his wife, fer Pete Snap an' Shoe-Awl,
Rough Shot De Shoe-boot, an' de Lawd He knows who all?
Cite this poem
MLA
Thomas W. Talley (collector). “The Great Owl's Song.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/talley/224/.
Chicago
Thomas W. Talley (collector). “The Great Owl's Song.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/talley/224/.
Read this poem with the Codex →