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When De Folks Is Gone

By James Whitcomb Riley

Topics: classic

What dat scratchin' at de kitchin do'?     Done heah'n dat foh an hour er mo'!     Tell you Mr. Niggah, das sho's yo' bo'n,     Hit's mighty lonesome waitin' when de folks is gone!     Blame my trap! How de wind do blow!     An' dis is das de night foh de witches, sho'!     Dey's trouble gon' to waste when de old slut whine,     An' you heah de cat a-spittin' when de moon don't shine!     Chune my fiddle, an' de bridge go "bang!"     An' I lef' 'er right back whah she allus hang,     An' de tribble snap short an' de apern split     When dey no mortal man wah a-tetchin' hit!     Dah! Now, what? How de ole j'ice cracks!     'Spec' dis house, ef hit tell plain fac's,     'Ud talk about de ha'nts wid dey long tails on     What das'n't on'y come when de folks is gone!     What I tuk an' done ef a sho'-nuff ghos'     Pop right up by de ole bed-pos'?     What dat shinin' fru de front do' crack...?     God bress de Lo'd! Hit's de folks got back!

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"What dat scratchin' at de kitchin do'?..."

This evocative piece by James Whitcomb Riley, titled "When De Folks Is Gone", represents a masterful exploration of classic. The lines capture a profound emotional resonance... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...

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Author:James Whitcomb Riley

"What dat scratchin' at de kitchin do'?..." by James Whitcomb Riley

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James Whitcomb Riley

About James Whitcomb Riley

James Whitcomb Riley (1849–1916) was an American poet known as the "Hoosier Poet." His dialect poems—including "Little Orphant Annie" and "When the Frost Is on the Punkin"—celebrate rural Indiana life and childhood nostalgia.

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