And a wraith sits by my side, A spectre grim and dark; Are you gazing here open-eyed Out to the lifeless dark?
But ever the wind rides on, And we sit close within; Out of the face of the dawn, I and my darling,--sin.
'T is better to sit here beside the sea, Here on the spray-kissed beach, In silence, that between such friends as we Is full of deepest speech.
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' summah Dey 's anothah hummah Sings 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'tain Ovah all de ti'ngs dat 's hid? W'y dat feathahed p'isen Goes erbout a-visin' Whippin' Will w'en Katy did?
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 shouldah Den 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 him Shinin' 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.