Mythology & Folklore
Sheep Shell Corn
From Negro Folk Rhymes (1922)
Oh: De Ram blow de ho'n an' de sheep shell co'n;
An' he sen' it to de mill by de buck-eyed Whippoorwill.
Ole Joe's dead an' gone but his Hant blows de ho'n;
An' his hound howls still from de top o' dat hill.
Yes: De Fish-hawk said unto Mistah Crane;
"I wishes to de Lawd dat you'd sen' a liddle rain;
Fer de water's all muddy, an de creek's gone dry;
If it 'twasn't fer de tadpoles we'd all die."
Oh: When de sheep shell co'n wid de rattle of his ho'n
I wishes to de Lawd I'd never been bo'n;
Caze when de Hant blows de ho'n, de sperits all dance,
An' de hosses an' de cattle, dey whirls 'round an' prance.
Oh: Yonder comes Skillet an' dere goes Pot;
An' here comes Jawbone 'cross de lot.
Walk Jawbone! Beat de Skillet an' de Pan!
You cut dat Pigeon's Wing, Black Man!
Now: Take keer, gemmuns, an' let me through;
Caze I'se gwineter dance wid liddle Mollie Lou.
But I'se never seed de lak since I'se been bo'n,
When de sheep shell co'n wid de rattle of his ho'n!
Cite this poem
MLA
Thomas W. Talley (collector). “Sheep Shell Corn.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/talley/78/.
Chicago
Thomas W. Talley (collector). “Sheep Shell Corn.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/talley/78/.
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