Consolation
I took my marnin’ bat’ alone,
An’ wept for Bennie dat was gone;
An’ after,—sittin’, weepin’ long,—
Some one came askin’ wha’ be’n wrong:
But only chokin’ sobs he heard,
My mout’ could never speak a word.
An’ so for long days all was grief,
An’ never could I get relief;
My heart be’n full of emptiness,
With naught to love an’ naught to bless.
I ’member de familiar scene:—
I sat out on de Depôt green,
Restin’ agains’ de big great gun:
De long rays o’ de settin’ sun
Were thrown upon the sombre wall;
I heard de rousin’ bugle-call
In chorus[1] soundin’ o’ retreat;
A ray o’ light shone on my seat,
A soft dull shade of changin’ gold,
So pleasant, lovely to behold:
A moment,—an’ I was alone,
De wanin’ evenin’ sun was gone.
- ↑ Several bugles together.
23
