The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/Long Ago

LONG AGO

De ol' time's gone, de new time's hyeah Wid all hits fuss an' feddahs; I done fu'got de joy an' cheah We knowed all kin's o' weddahs, I done fu'got each ol'-time hymn We ust to sing in meetin'; I 's leahned de prah's, so neat an' trim, De preachah keeps us 'peatin'.

Hang a vine by de chimney side, An' one by de cabin do'; An' sing a song fu' de day dat died, De day of long ergo.

My youf, hit's gone, yes, long ergo, An' yit I ain't a-moanin'; Hit 's fu' somet'ings I ust to know I set to-night a-honin'. De pallet on de ol' plank flo', De rain bar'l und' de eaves, De live oak 'fo' de cabin do', Whaih de night dove comes an' grieves.

Hang a vine by de chimney side, An' one by de cabin do'; An' sing a song fu' de day dat died, De day of long ergo.

I 'd lak a few ol' frien's to-night To come an' set wid me; An' let me feel dat ol' delight I ust to in dey glee. But hyeah we is, my pipe an' me, Wid no one else erbout; We bofe is choked ez choked kin be, An' bofe 'll soon go out.

Hang a vine by de chimney side, An' one by de cabin do'; An' sing a song fu' de day dat died, De day of long ergo.