Maggie Pogue Johnson

the USA

Superstitions

I ain't superstitious,
But dis I sho' do know,
Dat ef a rooster walks his se'f up
En crows right in y'o do',
Dar's sho' someone a comin'
Say jis what you might,
Dar'll be a stranger at yo' hous'
Fo' de cumin' ob de night.
I ain't superstitious,
But dis I know is tru',
Say what you will, en do what you'll do;
Ef yo' lef' han' itches,
You may t'nk it funny,
But you sho' soon gwine er git
A little sum ob money.
I ain't superstitious,
'Tis ignance I'll vow,
But sho's you're born,
Dis is tru' some how,
Dat ef you starts a place,
En has to turn back,
En fo'gits to make a cross,
En spit right in yo' track,
Some bad luck sho' will follow,
Dis t'ing sho' is tru',
Ef you don't believe me,
I tell you what to do:
Jis go some whar fo' fun,
En den turn back to see,
Some bad luck sho' will follow,
'Tis tru' as it kin be.
I ain't superstitious,
But I tell you what I've seen,
Ef you eats at a table
What dar's jis thirteen,
You min' what I say,
As sho's dar's a sky
One ob dat thirteen
Will be sho to die.
I ain't superstitious
But here's annoder fact,
En dis t'ing sho is tru'
No matter whar you's at,
Dat if you starts a place
En a black cat crosses you
'Tis sho en sartin bad luck
No matter what you do.
I can't be superstitious
En sho I ain't to blame
But if you cum in one do' ob de hous'
En don't go out de same
Your min', it sho is bad luck,
You kin turn dis way en dat
But bad luck sho will follow
No matter whar you's at.
I ain't superstitious
But some t'ings I do know,
Ef you sweeps yo' hous' out arter dark
'Tis bad luck fo' you sho,
En please don't spill no salt,
It jis as sho is tru'
Dat sumpin's gwine to happen,
Min' what I say, too.
I ain't superstitious
But I tell you fus en las'
It sho is awful luck
To break a lookin' glass;
Bad luck fo' seven years
Is de title read;
Dat sho is one t'ing dat I fears—
One t'ing dat I dread.
I ain't superstitious
But dis ain't no lie,
Ef a bird flies in de hous'
Dars some one gwine to die;
'Tis jis as true as it kin be
En when you see de bird
Some one's gwine to leabe dat hous',
Case die am de word.
I ain't superstitious
But let yo' lef' eye quiver,
Trouble sho will follow,
You jis well 'gin to shiver;
En let yo' lef' foot itch
'Tis jis as tru' fo' sho,
You jis well pack yo' satchel,
Case on strange lan' you mus' go.
I ain't superstitious,
But dis I sho do know,
In de ebening arter dark
Ef you hears a rooster crow
Hasty news am cumin,
'Tis tru' as it kin be,
En you jis well wa'r a long face
En set en wait to see.
I ain't supersitious,
It's ign'ance, 'tis a fact;
It jis sho's, too,
Dat fo' 'telligence you lack,
But when settin at de table,
La sakes! don't sneeze,
It's a sho sign ob death,
Say what you please.
I ain't superstitious
En eberybody knows
Dat I ain't superstitious
Eny whar I goes,
But y'all sho kin tell
En read between de lines,
I ain't superstitious
But I do beliebe in signs.
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