From an Old Garden (Cloud)/"De garden hit's all pupple"
In Autumn
—De garden hit's all pupple, 'scusin' de yaller'n raid,Mos' lak dis hank'chief I weahs on mah haid.De aster an' de gol'nrod's a-troopin' down de hill,An' ole Brer Win' ain' lettin' on he's feelin' mighty chill!
But down in de wood's pa'f, longside de stream,Seem lak I'm a-walkin' inter somebuddy's dream.Dee ain' no birds a-flyin' ter de raid creeper-vine;De trees all hol' dey brefs,— Somebuddy's bu'nin' pine. . . . .
De dusk hit tu'ns gray early, 'nmah cannle's soon lit,But 'tain' time fo' nuffin 'cep' ter rock an' ter sit,Studyin' on de col' nights, when things ain' bloom no mo'. . .Den I lights up de fiah, an' up'n shets de do';
An' I 'members 'bout a night when de Lord done come,An' met wid all dem in a lil small room . . . . . .Ole Win' he sen' de leaves down wid a sof', rockin' sweep . . . . . .'N I knows de garden's lak we-all— hit's des hit's desgoin' hit's desgoin'ter sleep!