Yearning

When de moon streams down
On er kam still night,
Let me sot by de moss-cubbahd stream,
An' plink out de ditties ub mah ol 'banjo,
While mah soul steals erway in o' dream.

Jes' git out dah whah de solemness come,
Whah de kentry am still ez def;
When de honeysuckles sleep an' dey hide deyselves,
An' de li'l winds blo' dey bref.
Whah de bullfrog hollers neef de ol' pine tree,
An' de kill-dee an' de lonesome quail call,
Whah de owl hoots slo' as de moon draps lo'
Ez de night shades slip an' fall.

Whah de willers hang lo',
An' dey 'pear to weep
Ez de night bird's plaint come down,
An' de li'l brooks skip in jubilee
While murmurrin' out dey sound.
Dat am sech er place whah I longs to be,
When de night am still an' kam;
When all de worl' seems los' in def
An' lef' yo' whah yo' am.