Children covered in molasses
Sticky hands grabbin the linen of their mamas skirts
And tuggin.

Dirty babes being dirty babes
A whole holler full of ‘em,
Too many for the village to raise.

Ain’t we known for being a fruitful bunch?
Ain’t we known for being resourceful?

Snap the peas we plucked from the garden for the pot
Ain’t enough to get everybody full,
But ain’t nobody gonna starve.

Say, you got any of that bacon grease
Left over from breakfast?
G’on and throw that in there, too.

We’ll cook while the children hose each other down.
We’ll eat when the sun sets.