Temptation Poem by James Ephraim McGirt

Since I got 'ligion
Tryin' to do what's right
Devil, jus' to temp' me,
Keep ol' sin in sight.

Farmers plant th'ir melons
Jam up 'gin the fence;
Leave the hen-coops open
Like they got no sense.

Man who own the orch'rd
Don mov' off to town;
Peaches an' the apples
Rot'nin' on the groun.'

In a trap th's mornin'
By the 'simmon tree,
Saw a grea' big 'possum,
Fat as he cou'd be.

Wou'd 've got th't 'possum
Eph—he'd never kno',
Th't his trap wh't co't him,
Got a 'ligion tho'.

People got no bus'ness
Fo' to temp' a man;
'Fusin' water-melons
More th'n I can stan'.

If theys out th're waitin'
T'night whin I com' 'long,
They shan't teach no oth'r
Christ'an to go 'rong.

Sally bake a hoe cake;
Get the kittle hot.
Goin' bring back a chicken
If I don't git shot.