Curiosity
by Paul Laurence Dunbar
MAMMY'S in de kitchen, an' de do'
is shet;
All de piccaninnies climb an' tug an'
sweat
Gittin' to de winder, stickin' dah lak
flies,
Evah one ermong us des all nose an' eyes.
"Whut she cookin', Isaac? Whut she
cookin', Jake?
Is it sweet pertaters? Is hit pie er
cake?"
But we couldn' mek out even whah we
stood
Whut was mammy cookin' dat could smell
so good.
Mammy spread de winder, an' she frown
an' frown.
How de piccaninnies come a-tumblin'
down!
Den she say: "Ef you all keep a-peepin'
in,
How I 's gwine to whup you, my! 't 'll
be a sin!
Need n' come a-sniffin' an' a-nosin'
hyeah,
'Ca'se I knows my business, don't you
nevah feah."
Won't somebody tell us -how I wish
dey would! -
Whut is mammy cookin' dat smells so
good?
We know she means business, an' we
dassent stay,
Dough it 's mighty tryin' fu' to go erway;
But we goes a troopin' down de ol' wood-
track
'Twell dat steamin' kitchen brings us
stealin' back,
Climbin' an' a-peepin' so 's to see
inside.
Whut on earf kin mammy be so sha'p to
hide?
I 'd des up an' tell folks w'en I knowed I
could,
Ef I was a-cookin' t'ings dat smelt so
good.
Mammy in de oven, an' I see huh smile;
Moufs mus' be a-wat'rin' roun' hyeah fu'
a mile;
Den we almo' hollah ez we hu'ies down,
'Ca'se hit apple dumplin's big an' fat an'
brown!
W'en de do' is opened, solemn lak an'
slow,
Wisht you see us settin' all dah in a row.
lnnercent an' p'opah, des lak chillun
should
W'en dey mammy's cookin' t'ings dat
smell so good.
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