IN de dead of night I sometimes, <br />Git to t'inkin' of de pas' <br />An' de days w'en slavery helt me <br />In my mis'ry — ha'd an' fas'. <br />Dough de time was mighty tryin', <br />In dese houahs somehow hit seem <br />Dat a brightah light come slippin' <br />Thoo de kivahs of my dream. <br />An' my min' fu'gits de whuppins <br />Draps de feah o' block an' lash <br />An' flies straight to somep'n' joyful <br />In a secon's lightnin' flash. <br />Den hit seems I see a vision <br />Of a dearah long ago <br />Of de childern tumblin' roun' me <br />By my rough ol' cabin do'. <br />Talk about yo' go'geous mansions <br />An' yo' big house great an' gran', <br />Des bring up de fines' palace <br />Dat you know in all de lan'. <br />But dey's somep'n' dearah to me, <br />Somep'n' faihah to my eyes <br />In dat cabin, less you bring me <br />To yo' mansion in de skies. <br />I kin see de light a-shinin' <br />Thoo de chinks atween de logs, <br />I kin hyeah de way-off bayin' <br />Of my mastah's huntin' dogs, <br />An' de neighin' of de hosses <br />Stampin' on de ol' bahn flo', <br />But above dese soun's de laughin' <br />At my deah ol' cabin do'. <br />We would gethah daih at evenin', <br />All my frien's 'ud come erroun' <br />An' hit wan't no time, twell, bless you, <br />You could hyeah de banjo's soun'. <br />You could see de dahkies dancin' <br />Pigeon wing an' heel an' toe, — <br />Joyous times I tell you people <br />Roun' dat same ol' cabin do'. <br />But at times my t'oughts gits saddah, <br />Ez I riccolec' de folks, <br />An' dey frolickin' an' talkin' <br />Wid dey laughin' an' dey jokes. <br />An' hit hu'ts me w'en I membahs <br />Dat I'll nevah see no mo' <br />Dem ah faces gethered smilin' <br />Roun' dat po' ol' cabin do'.<br /><br />Paul Laurence Dunbar<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-old-cabin/
