Whip-Poor-Will and Katy-Did
Slow de night ‘s a-fallin’,An’ I hyeah de callin,Out erpon de lonesome hill;Soun’ is moughty dreary,Solemn-lak an’ skeery,Sayin’ fu’ to “whip po’ Will.”
Now hit ‘s moughty tryin’,Fu’ to hyeah dis cryin’,‘Deed hit ‘s mo’ den I kin stan’;Sho’ wid all our slippin’,Dey ‘s enough of whippin’‘Dout a bird a’visin’ any man.
In de noons o’ summahDey ‘s anothah hummahSings anothah song instid;An’ his th’oat ‘s a-swellin’Wid de joy o’ tellin’,But he says dat “Katy did.”
Now I feels onsuhtain;Won’t you raise de cu’tainOvah all de ti’ngs dat ‘s hid?W’y dat feathahed p’isenGoes erbout a-visin’Whippin’ Will w’en Katy did?
‘Long To’ds Night
Daih ‘s a moughty soothin’ feelin’Hits a dahky man,‘Long to’ds night.W’en de row is mos’ nigh ended,Den he stops to fan,‘Long to’ds night.De blue smoke f’om his cabin is a-callin’ to him “Come;”He smell de bacon cookin’, an’ he hyeah de fiah hum;An’ he ‘mence to sing, ‘dough wo’kin’ putty nigh done made him dumb,‘Long to’ds night.
Wid his hoe erpon his shouldahDen he goes erlong,‘Long to’ds night.An’ he keepin’ time a-steppin’Wid a little song,‘Long to’ds night.De restin’-time ‘s a-comin’, an’ de time to drink an’ eat;A baby’s toddlin’ to’ds him on hits little dusty feet,An’ a-goin’ to’ds his cabin, an’ his suppah ‘s moughty sweet,‘Long to’ds night.
Daih his Ca’line min’ de kettle,Rufus min’ de chile,‘Long to’ds night;An’ de sweat roll down his forred,Mixin’ wid his smile,‘Long to’ds night.He toss his piccaninny, an’ he hum a little chune;De wokin’ all is ovah, an’ de suppah comin’ soon;De wo’kin’ time ‘s Decembah, but de restin’ time is June,‘Long to’ds night.
Dey ‘s a kin’ o’ doleful feelin’,Hits a tendah place,‘Long to’ds night;Dey ‘s a moughty glory in himShinin’ thoo his face,Long to’ds night.De cabin ‘s lak de big house, an’ de fiah’s lak de sun;His wife look moughty lakly, an’ de chile de puttiest one;W’y, hit ‘s blessid, jes’ a-livin’ w’en a body’s wo’k is done.‘Long to’ds night.