Classic Poem

Run, little Brothers, run!
Yo' journey's des begun,
An' many a long mile stretches
Fum settin' ter risin' sun;
An it's whack! ef de patroller ketches,
An' it's whoop when yo' journey's done!
It's fun fer de one dat fetches,
Fer de one dat carries, none!

Oh, run in de bushes, Brothers!
Down de long corn-furrers run!
Run in de heat what smothers,
In de Frost what grips you, mon!
It's Way-o! fer de hills what beckon,
Wy-o! fer de low-groun's wide!
You er movin' now, I reckon,
When you rock fum side ter side!

Run, little Brothers, run!
'Twix' settin' an' risin' Sun;
Watch out fer dem what foller
Wid track-dogs an' wid gun;
Break thoo de swampy holler —
Yo' journey will soon be done! —
Pas' de place whar de wil'-hogs waller —
De race is mighty nigh won!

An' it's out whar de hills is rollin',
Whar de Road an' de Runner is one —
De time is come fer polin' —
Run, little Brothers, run!
Across de fur-lyin' stretches
What hol' de breff er de Sun;
It's meat fer de man what fetches,
Fer de man what carries, none!

Run, " little Brothers, run!
Time passes might'ly, mon;
No time fer cabin tattle
When de Way an' de Wisher is one;
No time fer ter count de cattle,
Er ter see ef dey brindle er dun;
Des make de bushes rattle
When you break fum trot ter run!

No dodgin' de water what splashes —
It's a part er de frolic an' fun
When you skip thoo de slues an' slashes —
Run, little Brothers, run!
You'll wade de shoalin' river,
Kaze de road is de place ter shun,
An' you'll hear de squinch-owl shiver,
An' de bull-frog say, " Done-done! "

You'll hear de tied dog howlin'
Kaze he wanter warm by de Sun,
An' you'll see Mr. Weasel prowlin',
A-huntin' fer de wood-rat's run:
You'll see de tad-pole ketchers
A-passin' one by one —
But, toters all, an' fetchers,
Dey ain't much time fer fun!

Run, little Brothers, run!
Fer now is de time er none,
An' de san' is needin' siftin'
By de feet er yo' daddy's son!
An' de Milky-way is shiftin'
Ter whar it kin see de Sun,
An' de night is sholy liftin' —
Run, little Brothers, run!

De east is showin' yellow,
An' de stars go one by one;
But de hills will take yo' Hello
Whar de mornin' streamers is spun,
An' make it saft an' mellow
(Run, little Brothers, run!)
Time it gits ter de yuther fellow,
An' den yo' journey's done!