The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/The Old Cabin

THE OLD CABIN

In de dead of night I sometimes, Git to t'inkin' of de pas' An' de days w'en slavery helt me In my mis'ry—ha'd an' fas'. Dough de time was mighty tryin', In dese houahs somehow hit seem Dat a brightah light come slippin' Thoo de kivahs of my dream.

An' my min' fu'gits de whuppins Draps de feah o' block an' lash An' flies straight to somep'n' joyful In a secon's lightnin' flash. Den hit seems I see a vision Of a dearah long ago Of de childern tumblin' roun' me By my rough ol' cabin do'.

Talk about yo' go'geous mansions An' yo' big house great an' gran', Des bring up de fines' palace Dat you know in all de lan'. But dey's somep'n' dearah to me, Somep'n' faihah to my eyes In dat cabin, less you bring me To yo' mansion in de skies.

I kin see de light a-shinin' Thoo de chinks atween de logs, I kin hyeah de way-off bayin' Of my mastah's huntin' dogs, An' de neighin' of de hosses Stampin' on de ol' bahn flo', But above dese soun's de laughin' At my deah ol' cabin do'.

We would gethah daih at evenin', All my frien's 'ud come erroun' An' hit wan't no time, twell, bless you, You could hyeah de banjo's soun'. You could see de dahkies dancin' Pigeon wing an' heel an' toe— Joyous times I tell you people Roun' dat same ol' cabin do'.

But at times my t'oughts gits saddah, Ez I riccolec' de folks, An' dey frolickin' an' talkin' Wid dey laughin' an dey jokes. An' hit hu'ts me w'en I membahs Dat I'll nevah see no mo' Dem ah faces gethered smilin' Roun' dat po' ol' cabin do'.