What’s the use o’ folks a-frownin’When the way’s a little rough?Frowns lay out the road fur smilin’You’ll be wrinkled soon enough.What’s the use? What’s the use o’ folks a-sighin’?It’s an awful waste o’ breath,An’ a body can’t stand wastin’What he needs so bad in death.What’s the use? What’s the use o’ even weepin’?Might as well […]

All de night long twell de moon goes down,Lovin’ I set at huh feet,Den fu’ de long jou’ney back f’om de town,Ha’d, but de dreams mek it sweet. All de night long twell de break of de day,Dreamin’ agin in my sleep,Mandy comes drivin’ my sorrers away,Axin’ me, “Wha’ fu’ you weep?” All de day […]

The draft of love was cool and sweetYou gave me in the cup,But, ah, love’s fire is keen and fleet,And I am burning up. Unless the tears I shed for youShall quench this burning flame,It will consume me through and through,And leave but ash–a name.

Outside the rain upon the street,The sky all grim of hue,Inside, the music-painful sweet,And yet I heard but you. As is a thrilling violin,So is your voice to me,And still above the other strains,It sang in ecstasy.

‘Twas the apple that in EdenCaused our father’s primal fall;And the Trojan War, remember–‘Twas an apple caused it all.So for weeks I’ve hesitated,You can guess the reason why,For I want to tell my darlingShe’s the apple of my eye.

I did not know that life could be so sweet,I did not know the hours could speed so fleet,Till I knew you, and life was sweet again.The days grew brief with love and lack of pain– I was a slave a few short days ago,The powers of Kings and Princes now I know;I would not […]

De sun hit shine an’ de win’ hit blow,Ol’ Brer Rabbit be a-layin’ low,He know dat de wintah time a-comin’,De huntah man he walk an’ wait,He walk right by Brer Rabbit’s gate–He know– De dog he lick his sliverin’ chop,An’ he tongue ‘gin’ his mouf go flop, flop–He–He rub his nose fu’ to clah his […]

I held my heart so far from harm,I let it wander far and freeIn mead and mart, without alarm,Assured it must come back to me. And all went well till on a day,Learned Dr. Cupid wandered byA search along our sylvan wayFor some peculiar butterfly. A flash of wings, a hurried dive,A flutter and a […]

Come away to dreamin’ town,Mandy Lou, Mandy Lou,Whaih de skies don’ nevah frown,Mandy Lou;Whaih he streets is paved with gol’,Whaih de days is nevah col’,An’ no sheep strays f’om de fol’,Mandy Lou. Ain’t you tiahed of every day,Mandy Lou, Mandy Lou,Tek my han’ an’ come away,Mandy Lou,To the place whaih dreams is King,Whaih my heart […]

Whut time ‘d dat clock strike?Nine? No–eight;I didn’t think hit was so late.Aer chew! I must ‘a’ got a cough,I raally b’lieve I did doze off–Hit’s mighty soothin’ to de tiah,A-dozin’ dis way by de fiah;Oo oom–hit feels so good to stretchI sutny is one weary wretch! Look hyeah, dat boy done gone to sleep!He […]

The wind told the little leaves to hurry,And chased them down the way,While the mother tree laughed loud in glee,For she thought her babes at play,The cruel wind and the rain laughed loudly,We’ll bury them deep, they said,And the old tree grieves, and the little leavesLie low, all chilled and dead.

Yesterday I held your hand,Reverently I pressed it,And its gentle yieldingnessFrom my soul I blessed it. But to-day I sit alone,Sad and sore repining;Must our gold forever knowFlames for the refining? Yesterday I walked with you,Could a day be sweeter?Life was all a lyric songSet to tricksy meter. Ah, to-day is like a dirge,–Place my […]

If thro’ the sea of night which here surrounds me,I could swim out beyond the farthest star,Break every barrier of circumstance that bounds me,And greet the Sun of sweeter life afar, Tho’ near you there is passion, grief, and sorrow,And out there rest and joy and peace and all,I should renounce that beckoning for to-morrow,I […]

Tim Murphy’s gon’ walkin’ wid Maggie O’Neill,O chone!If I was her muther, I’d frown on sich foolin’,O chone!I’m sure it’s unmutherlike, darin’ an’ wrongTo let a gyrul hear tell the sass an’ the songOf every young felly that happens along,O chone! An’ Murphy, the things that’s be’n sed of his doin’,O chone!‘Tis a cud that […]

Oh the breeze is blowin’ balmyAn the sun is in a haze;There’s a cloud jest givin’ coolnessTo the laziest of days.There are crowds upon the lakeside,But the fish refuse to bite,So I’ll wait and go a-fishin’When the wind gets right. Now my boat tugs at her anchor,Eager now to kiss the spray,While the little waves […]

Home agin, an’ home to stay–Yes, it’s nice to be away.Plenty things to do an’ see,But the old place seems to meJest about the proper thing.Mebbe ‘ts ’cause the mem’ries clingCloser ’round yore place o’ birth‘N ary other spot on earth. W’y it’s nice jest settin’ here,Lookin’ out an’ seein’ clear,‘Thout no smoke, ner dust, […]

In de dead of night I sometimes,Git to t’inkin’ of de pas’An’ de days w’en slavery helt meIn my mis’ry–ha’d an’ fas’.Dough de time was mighty tryin’,In dese houahs somehow hit seemDat a brightah light come slippin’Thoo de kivahs of my dream. An’ my min’ fu’gits de whuppinsDraps de feah o’ block an’ lashAn’ flies […]

Cover him over with daisies whiteAnd eke with the poppies red,Sit with me here by his couch to-night,For the First-Born, Love, is dead. Poor little fellow, he seemed so fairAs he lay in my jealous arms;Silent and cold he is lying thereStripped of his darling charms. Lusty and strong he had grown forsooth,Sweet with an […]

Oh, I des received a letter f’om de sweetest little gal;Oh, my; oh, my.She’s my lovely little sweetheart an’ her name is Sal:Oh, my; oh, my.She writes me dat she loves me an’ she loves me true,She wonders ef I’ll tell huh dat I loves huh, too;An’ my heaht’s so full o’ music dat I […]

If ’twere fair to supposeThat your heart were not taken,That the dew from the rosePetals still were not shaken,I should pluck you,Howe’er you should thorn me and scorn me,And wear you for life as the green of the bower. If ’twere fair to supposeThat that road was for vagrants,That the wind and the rose,Counted all […]