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Plantation echoes

Chapter 46: I TOL’ YO’ SO.

By Elliott Blaine Henderson

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About This Book

A short collection of poems written in a period phonetic dialect that evokes rural plantation life and folk-song rhythms. The pieces range from playful and humorous to plaintive and reflective, depicting work, home, music, seasonal change, and communal gatherings through repetition, colloquial idiom, and musical cadence. Many poems adopt a performative voice and narrative vignette form to capture local speech and sentiment. Several passages employ slang and stereotyped language rooted in their historical moment, which modern readers may find offensive.

I TOL’ YO’ SO.

Playin’ out dah

Wid dat white trash’,

I tol’ yo’ so.

Dat yo’ back

Wood git er lash;

I tol’ yo’ so.

Pay no ’tenshun

Whut I say,

Allus got

Sum uddah way,

Wished yo’ haddah,

P’haps, sum day.

I tol’ yo’ so.

Yo’ de wusses’

Chile in town,

I tol’ yo’ so.

Foll’rin’ all

De white trash ’roun’

I tol’ yo’ so.

Aftah Peedah,

John and Paul,

Fus’ thing fightin’

Wid ’em all;

Den de niggah’s

Fus’ to fall.

I tol’ yo’ so.

Licked de ’lasses

Off yo’ bread,

I tol’ yo’ so.

Den dey knocked

Yo’ in de head.

I tol’ yo’ so.

Called yo’ niggah

Sich ez dat

Said yo’ hyah

Wuz lak er mat.

Umph! Dem white fo’ks

Made yo’ scat.

I tol’ yo’ so.

Umph! Dey skaid

Yo’ mos’ to def.

I tol’ yo’ so.

Look ee dah,

Yo’ out o’ bref.

I tol’ yo’ so.

Run so fas’

Dun los’ yo’ hat,

Got no idea

Whah it’s at;

Gwine to whoop

Yo’ good fo’ dat.

I tol’ yo’ so.