Reminiscence

When de shadows ah de e'ebnin's
Gently, sof'ly fallin' 'roun',
'Cross de lonely field an' meadows,
Cums de cattle's lowin' soun';
An' de vespah bells am ringin'
An' dey blen' in tuneful lay,
It's a knell dat's sad an' mournful
To de dying summah day.

An' yo' weary rum de labah
Ub de tillin' ub de soil,
Fum sun up 'till time ub sinkin'
Wifout res' mus' toil an' toil;
How yo' welcum on de hours,
Blissful seezuns all ub res'
When a neslin' 'neef de kibbahs,
Yo' kin soff'en pillahs press.

When de li'l' lights ub hebun
Fum behine day kibbah peep,
All er blinkin' an' er twinklin'
Ez dey 'cross de hebuns creep;
Dah's a sadden feelin' takes yo',
Ez yo' lonely sot an' sigh,
Ez yohr mem'ry goze to 'fleck'in
Ub de olen days gone by.

How yohr ole home cures befo' yo'
Wif de fiah-place all erf'ame,
Ez it kindled an' enliven'd
Yo' into a joyful frame;
An' de scene at night when gaddahd
All eroun' yohr mammy sot,
Ez she tole yo' little stohries,
Allus chahms de little tot.

Seemz yo' hyeah de ole fo'ks singin',
An' dey voices ringin' clah,
Ez at night all knelt togeddah
Fo' to ax de mahstah's kyah,
To puzzurb dem fum de ebil
Spirits lurkin' far an' neer;
Keep dey minds all free fum feelin's
Soopahstishun an' fum feet.

How yo' long yo's wif de dahkies
Once mo' geddahd in de field,
When at night all in de moonlight,
Danced de ole Virginny reel;
To de plumpin' ub de banjos
An' de fiddle's sawin' choon,
An' de songs dat wuz trumphun'
To de ole plantayshun coon.

How yo' wish'd to 'gain libb obah
Dem days at yo' ole home spot,
Wif yo' frens dat's cross'd de ribbah,
Wuz again yo' happy lot;
But dem days hab gone fohebbah,
Nebah mo' will dey return,
When yo' sot an' 'fleck erbout 'em,
How yo' ole heart fo' dem yern.