I woke up this mornin’ <br />’Bout half-past three. <br />All the womens in town <br />Was gathered round me. <br /> <br /> <br />Sweet gals was a-moanin’, <br />“Sylvester’s gonna die!” <br />And a hundred pretty mamas <br />Bowed their heads to cry. <br /> <br /> <br />I woke up little later <br />’Bout half-past fo’, <br />The doctor ‘n’ undertaker’s <br />Both at ma do’. <br /> <br /> <br />Black gals was a-beggin’, <br />“You can’t leave us here!” <br />Brown-skins cryin’, “Daddy! <br />Honey! Baby! Don’t go, dear!” <br /> <br /> <br />But I felt ma time’s a-comin’, <br />And I know’d I’s dyin’ fast. <br />I seed the River Jerden <br />A-creepin’ muddy past— <br />But I’s still Sweet Papa ’Vester, <br />Yes, sir! Long as life do last! <br /> <br /> <br />So I hollers, “Com’ere, babies, <br />Fo’ to love yo’ daddy right!” <br />And I reaches up to hug ’em— <br />When the Lawd put out the light. <br /> <br /> <br />Then everything was darkness <br />In a great ... big ... night.<br /><br />Langston Hughes<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/sylvester-s-dying-bed/
