Annals of American Music: Stephen Foster

A ditty found in a recently discovered notebook kept by the beloved 19th century American composer:

Poop’s in the dirt patch,
‘Possum pot pie,
Mammy’s in the nuthatch
My oh my.

Popular music scholars say it’s from Foster’s “formative” period–possibly from the time he spent peddling Bibles by subscription across the South during his late teen years.