A Negro Love Song

A Negro Love Song

Original Text
The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar (New York: Dodd, Mead, and Co., 1913), Facsimile in The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar, ed. Joanne M. Braxton (Charlottesville and London: University Press of Virginia, 1993), p. 49. PS 1556 AI 1993 Robarts Library.
1Seen my lady home las' night,
2  Jump back, honey, jump back.
4  Jump back, honey, jump back.
6Seen a light gleam f'om huh eye,
7An' a smile go flittin' by --
8  Jump back, honey, jump back.
9Hyeahd de win' blow thoo de pine,
10  Jump back, honey, jump back.
11Mockin'-bird was singin' fine,
12  Jump back, honey, jump back.
13An' my hea't was beatin' so,
16  Jump back, honey, jump back.
17Put my ahm aroun' huh wais',
18  Jump back, honey, jump back.
20  Jump back, honey, jump back.
21Love me, honey, love me true?
22Love me well ez I love you?
24  Jump back, honey, jump back.

Notes

3] Hel' huh han': Held her hand Back to Line
5] Hyeahd: Heard. Back to Line
14] do': door Back to Line
15] That I could not bear to go Back to Line
19] tase: taste. Back to Line
23] 'Cose: Of course Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1896
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
RPO 1998.
Rhyme