Christmas tree at the Wright home, 7 Hawthorne Street. From MS-1, The Wright Brothers Collection, Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University Libraries
“A Christmas Folksong”
by Paul Laurence Dunbar
De win’ is blowin’ wahmah,
An’ hit’s blowin’ f’om de bay;
Day’s a so’t o’ mist a-risin’
All erlong de meddah way;
Dey ain’t a hint o’ frostin’
On de groun’ ner in de sky,
An’ dey ain’t no use in hopin’
Dat de sno’ll ‘mence to fly.
It’s goin’ to be a green Christ-
mas,
An’ sad de day fu’ me.
I wish dis was de las’ one
Dat evah I should see.
Dey’s dancin’ in de cabin,
Dey’s spahkin’ by de tree;
But dancin’ times an spahkin’
Are all done pas’ fur me.
Dey’s feastin’ in de big house,
Wid all de windahs wide–
Is dat de way fu’ people
To meet de Christmas-tide?
It’s goin’ to be a green Christ-
mas,
No mattah what you say.
Dey’s us dat will remembah
An’ grieve de comin’ day.
Dey’s des a bref o’ dampness
A-clingin’ to my cheek;
De aih’s been dahk an’ heavy
An’ threatenin’ fu’ a week,
But not wid signs o’ wintah,
Dough wintah’d seem so deah–
De wintah’s out o’ season,
An’ Christmas eve is heah.
It’s goin’ to be a green Christ-
mas,
An’ oh, how sad de day!
Go ax de hongry chu’chya’d,
An’ see what hit will say.
Dey’s Allen on de hillside,
‘An’ Marfy in de plain;
Fu’ Christmas was like springtime,
An’ come wid sun an’ rain.
Dey’s Ca’line, John, an’ Susie,
Wid only dis one lef’:
Wid murder in hits bref.
It’s goin’ to be a green Christ-
mas–
Des hyeah my words an’ see.
Befo’ de summah beckons
Dey’s many’ll weep wid me.
“Fun in the Snow,” MS-92, Wallace Family Papers, Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University Libraries