Part 4 (1/2)

Let's th'ow him outen de do' in de san', We do' want stragglers a-layin' 'roun' hyeah; Let's gin him 'way to de big buggah-man; I know he's hidin' erroun' hyeah right neah.

Buggah-man, buggah-man, come in de do', Hyeah's a bad boy you kin have fu' to eat.

Mammy an' pappy do' want him no mo', Swaller him down f'om his haid to his feet!

Dah, now, I t'ought dat you'd hug me up close.

Go back, ol' buggah, you sha'n't have dis boy.

He ain't no tramp, ner no straggler, of co'se; He's pappy's pa'dner an' playmate an' joy.

Come to you' pallet now--go to you' res'; Wisht you could allus know ease an' cleah skies; Wisht you could stay jes' a chile on my breas'-- Little brown baby wif spa'klin' eyes!

s.h.i.+PS THAT Pa.s.s IN THE NIGHT

Out in the sky the great dark clouds are ma.s.sing; I look far out into the pregnant night, Where I can hear a solemn booming gun And catch the gleaming of a random light, That tells me that the s.h.i.+p I seek is pa.s.sing, pa.s.sing.

My tearful eyes my soul's deep hurt are gla.s.sing; For I would hail and check that s.h.i.+p of s.h.i.+ps.

I stretch my hands imploring, cry aloud, My voice falls dead a foot from mine own lips, And but its ghost doth reach that vessel, pa.s.sing, pa.s.sing.

O Earth, O Sky, O Ocean, both surpa.s.sing, O heart of mine, O soul that dreads the dark!

Is there no hope for me? Is there no way That I may sight and check that speeding bark Which out of sight and sound is pa.s.sing, pa.s.sing?

LOVER'S LANE

Summah night an' sighin' breeze, 'Long de lovah's lane; Frien'ly, shadder-mekin' trees, 'Long de lovah's lane.

White folks' wo'k all done up gran'-- Me an' 'Mandy han'-in-han'

Struttin' lak we owned de lan', 'Long de lovah's lane.

Owl a-settin' 'side de road, 'Long de lovah's lane, Lookin' at us lak he knowed Dis uz lovah's lane.

Go on, hoot yo' Mou'nful tune, You ain' nevah loved in June, An' come hidin' f'om de moon Down in lovah's lane.

Bush it ben' an' nod an' sway, Down in lovah's lane, Try'n' to hyeah me whut I say 'Long de lovah's lane.

But I whispahs low lak dis, An' my 'Mandy smile huh bliss-- Mistah Bush he shek his fis', Down in lovah's lane.

Whut I keer ef day is long, Down in lovah's lane.

I kin allus sing a song 'Long de lovah's lane.

An' de wo'ds I hyeah an' say Meks up fu' de weary day Wen I's strollin' by de way, Down in lovah's lane.

An' dis t'ought will allus rise Down in lovah's lane; Wondah whethah in de skies Dey's a lovah's lane.

Ef dey ain't, I tell you true, 'Ligion do look mighty blue, 'Cause I do' know whut I'd do 'Dout a lovah's lane.

THE DEBT

This is the debt I pay Just for one riotous day, Years of regret and grief.

Sorrow without relief.

Pay it I will to the end-- Until the grave, my friend, Gives me a true release-- Gives me the clasp of peace.