A Death Song

Paul Laurence Dunbar

Lay me down beneaf de willers in
    de grass,
Whah de branch'll go a-singin' as
    it pass.
  An' w'en I's a-layin' low,
  I kin hyeah it as it go Singin',
"Sleep, my honey, tek yo'
    res' at las'."

Lay me nigh to whah hit meks
    a little pool,
An' de watah stan's so quiet lak an'
    cool,
Whah de little birds
  in spring,
  Ust to come an' drink an' sing,
An' de chillen waded on dey way to
    school.

Let me settle w'en my shouldahs
    draps dey load
Nigh enough to hyeah de noises
    in de road;
  Fu' I t'ink de las' long res'
  Gwine to soothe my sperrit bes'
Ef I's layin' 'mong de t'ings I's allus
    knowed.

Index + Blog :

Poetry Archive Index | Blog : Poem of the Day