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.
3Hel' huh han' an' sque'z it tight,
4  Jump back, honey, jump back.
5Hyeahd huh sigh a little sigh,
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,
14When I reached my lady's do',
15Dat I could n't ba' to go --
16  Jump back, honey, jump back.
17Put my ahm aroun' huh wais',
18  Jump back, honey, jump back.
19Raised huh lips an' took a tase,
20  Jump back, honey, jump back.
21Love me, honey, love me true?
22Love me well ez I love you?
23An' she answe'd, "'Cose I do"--
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
ababcccb