The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #14302   Message #122089
Posted By: Alice
08-Oct-99 - 11:42 AM
Thread Name: Mudcat Campfire - 2
Subject: RE: Mudcat Campfire - 2
Hey, I just found it on a dogpile.com search. Maya Angelou recited it at a conference in Utah, and although what she quoted is a little bit different at the beginning than the way my mom used to recite it, here it is:
James Weldon Johnson poem, written 1892,
Little brown baby with sparkling eyes, come to your papa, sit on his knee.
What you been doing son? Look at that baby, you as dirty as me.
Look at those hands, that's molasses, I bet.
Come here around, clean off his hand.
Boy, the bees are going to get you and eat you up, yeah,
being so sticky and sweet. Goodness, land.

Little brown baby with sparkling eyes,
who's Papa's child. Who is it never once that he tries
to be cross or he lose that smile?
Where did he get those teeth? But you're a scamp.
Where did the dimples come from in your cheek?
No, Papa don't know you. I believe you're a tramp.

Mama, there is some straggler trying to get in.
We don't want no straggler trying to get in.
Let's throw him away to the great boogerman.
I know he's hanging around here somewhere.

Boogerman, Boogerman, come in the door.
Here is a little boy you can have to eat.
Momma and Papa don't want him no more.
Just gobble him up from his head to his --

I knew that would make you hug me up close.

You go away old Boogerman, you can't have this boy.
He ain't no straggler, no stranger, of course,
he's Papa's darling and sweetheart and joy.

Come to your Papa, Baby, go to your rest,
I wish you could always know ease and clear skies.
I wish you could stay just a baby on my breast,
you little brown baby with sparkling eyes.

There are other poems and lyrics of folk songs on this page from her speech. Here is the URL click here http://www.weber.edu/chfam/html/angelouspeech.html