Betty Smith Foley

Betty Smith Foley Poems

Betty Smith Foley Biography

First poem from 'Wood Pile Poems' by Betty Smith Foley Published by Dorrance & Company 1938 Foreward Throughout these poems I have tried faithfully to reproduce various phases of the life of the old-time Southern negro-his awe of the supernatural, love of grand display, his genuine delight in the simple joys of life, his loyalty, service and devotion to his 'white folks, ' faith in the Almighty, and his deep religious fervor. His homely philosoply has been immortalized in song and story, but this book is dedicated to those readers who may be in sympathy with these chips of memory which I have picked up, as it were, from the old wood pile. Betty Smith Foley.)

The Best Poem Of Betty Smith Foley

Mammy's Sugar Plum

You, Alexander Rafferty!
You's Mammy's little scum!
Ain't gone ter sleep-jes' lyin dar
Er-suckin' on yo' thum'!

Yo' Mammy's got yo' dinner cooked,
An yo sha'n't hab er crum',
Fur jes' es soon's my back is turn't
You 'gins ter suck yo' thum'.

Whut make you hongry all de time?
Can't wait 'tel Mammy come,
But has ter double up yo' fis'
An' suck on dat ar thum'!

You, open up yo' mouf-leggo-
No use ter look so grum!
Jes' look er dar how shriveled up
You's got yo' little thum'!

An' bress my Soul! I sees er toof
Er-peepin' thoo yo' gum-
Er Angel mus' er brung hit whiles'
You's tuggin on yo' thum'

Dar-now-don't cry-jes' take yo' res'-
You's Mammy's sugah plum;
'Peahs lak dat you can't go ter sleep
'Dout suckin' on yo' thum'.

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