Skip to content
1872–1906

TROUBLE IN DE KITCHEN

Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dey was oncet a awful quoil‘ twixt de skillet an’ de pot; De pot was des a-bilin’ an’ de skillet sho’ was hot. Dey slurred each othah's colah an’ dey called each othah names, Wile de coal-oil can des gu-gled, po'in oil erpon de flames.

De pot, hit called de skillet des a flat, disfiggered t'ing, An’ de skillet‘ plied dat all de pot could do was set an’ sing, An’ he‘ lowed dat dey was‘ lusions dat he would n't stoop to mek ‘ Case he reckernize his juty, an’ he had too much at steak.

Well, at dis de pot biled ovah, case his tempah gittin’ highah, An’ de skillet got to sputterin’, den de fat was in de fiah. Mistah flan lay daih smokin’ an’ a-t'inkin’ to hisse'f, Wile de peppah-box us nudgin’ of de gingah on de she'f.

Den dey all des lef hit to‘ im,‘ bout de trouble an’ de talk; An’ howevah he decided, w'y dey bofe‘ u'd walk de chalk; But de fiah uz so‘ sgusted how dey quoil an’ dey shout Dat he cooled‘ em off, I reckon, w'en he puffed an’ des went out.

Cookies on Poetry Cove

We use cookies to remember your language preference and — only with your consent — to learn how Poetry Cove is used. You can change your mind any time.
TROUBLE IN DE KITCHEN · Paul Laurence Dunbar · Poetry Cove