The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/Long Ago

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

For works with similar titles, see Long Ago.

LONG AGO

De ol' time's gone, de new time's hyeah
  Wid all hits fuss an' feddahs;
I done fu'got de joy an' cheah
  We knowed all kin's o' weddahs,
I done fu'got each ol'-time hymn
  We ust to sing in meetin';
I 's leahned de prah's, so neat an' trim,
  De preachah keeps us 'peatin'.

Hang a vine by de chimney side,
  An' one by de cabin do';
An' sing a song fu' de day dat died,
  De day of long ergo.

My youf, hit's gone, yes, long ergo,
  An' yit I ain't a-moanin';
Hit 's fu' somet'ings I ust to know
  I set to-night a-honin'.
De pallet on de ol' plank flo',
  De rain bar'l und' de eaves,
De live oak 'fo' de cabin do',
  Whaih de night dove comes an' grieves.

Hang a vine by de chimney side,
  An' one by de cabin do';
An' sing a song fu' de day dat died,
  De day of long ergo.

I 'd lak a few ol' frien's to-night
  To come an' set wid me;
An' let me feel dat ol' delight
  I ust to in dey glee.
But hyeah we is, my pipe an' me,
  Wid no one else erbout;
We bofe is choked ez choked kin be,
  An' bofe 'll soon go out.

Hang a vine by de chimney side,
  An' one by de cabin do';
An' sing a song fu' de day dat died,
  De day of long ergo.