I BE’N down in ole Kentucky Fur a week er two, an’ say, 'T wuz ez hard ez breakin’ oxen Fur to tear myse’f away. Allus argerin’ 'bout fren’ship

Hyeah dat singin’ in de medders Whaih de folks is mekin’ hay? Wo’k is pretty middlin’ heavy Fu’ a man to be so gay. You kin tell dey 's somep’n specia…

Whut time 'd dat clock strike? Nine? No—eight; I didn’t think hit was so late. Aer chew! I must 'a’ got a cough, I raally b’lieve I did doze off—

Thou arrant robber, Death! Couldst thou not find Some lesser one than he To rob of breath,— Some poorer mind

Long had I grieved at what I deem… But now I am as grain within the… If so be thou must crush me for th… Grind on, O potent God, and do th…

I like to hear of wealth and gold, And El Doradoes in their glory; I like for silks and satins bold To sweep and rustle through a stor… The nightingale is sweet of song;

I AM no priest of crooks nor cree… For human wants and human needs Are more to me than prophets’ deed… And human tears and human cares Affect me more than human prayers.

Wen de snow 's a—fallin’ An’ de win’ is col’. Mammy 'mence a—callin’, Den she 'mence to scol’, 'Lucius Lishy Brackett,

My neighbor lives on the hill, And I in the valley dwell, My neighbor must look down on me, Must I look up?—ah, well, My neighbor lives on the hill,

W’EN us fellers stomp around, mak… Gramma says, 'There’s certain tim… W’en they need a shingle or the so… She says 'we’re a—itchin’ for a ri… An’ she says, 'Now thes you wait,

I GREW a rose once more to pleas… All things to aid it —dew, sun, wi… Were kindly; and to shield it from… I fenced it safely in with gratefu… No other hand than mine shall pluc…

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’,

I WAS not; now I am —a few days… I shall not be; I fain would look… And after, but can neither do; som… Or lack of power says 'no’ to all… I stand upon a wide and sunless pl…

With what thou gavest me, O Maste… I have wrought. Such chances, such abilities, To see the end was not for my poor… Thine was the impulse, thine the f…