ANSWER TO PRAYER.

Der ain't no use in sayin' de Lawd won't answer prah;
If you knows how to ax Him, I know He's bound to heah.

De trouble is, some people don't ax de proper way,
Den w'en dey git's no answer dey doubts de use to pray.

You got to use egzac'ly de 'spressions an' de words
To show dat 'tween yo' faith an' works, you 'pends on
works two-thirds.

Now, one time I remember--jes how long I won't say--
I thought I'd like a turkey to eat on Chris'mus day.

Fu' weeks I dreamed 'bout turkeys, a-struttin' in
der pride;
But seed no way to git one---widout de Lawd pervide.

An' so I went to prayin', I pray'd wid all my might;
"Lawd, sen' _to_ me a turkey." I pray'd bofe day an' night.

"Lawd sen' _to_ me a turkey, a big one if you please."
I 'clar to heaben I pray'd so much I mos' wore out ma knees.

I pray'd dat prah so often, I pray'd dat prah so long,
Yet didn't git no turkey, I know'd 'twas sum'n' wrong.

So on de night 'fore Chris'mus w'en I got down to pray,
"Lawd, sen' _me_ to a turkey." I had de sense to say.

"Lawd sen' _me_ to a turkey." I know dat prah was right,
An' it was sholy answer'd; I got de bird dat night.

James Weldon Johnson.