Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, OLD FOLKS AT HOME, by STEPHEN COLLINS FOSTER



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

OLD FOLKS AT HOME, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Way down upon de swanee ribber [the swanee river]
Last Line: Far from de old folks at home!
Variant Title(s): Swanee River
Subject(s): Absence; Home; Mothers; Separation; Isolation


Way down upon de Swanee Ribber,
Far, far away,
Dere's wha my heart is turning ebber,
Dere's wha de old folks stay.
All up and down de whole creation
Sadly I roam,
Still longing for de old plantation,
And for de old folks at home.

All de world am sad and dreary,
Ebery where I roam;
Oh, darkeys, how my heart grows weary,
Far from de old folks at home!

All round de little farm I wandered
When I was young,
Den many happy days I squandered,
Many de songs I sung.
When I was playing wid my brudder
Happy was I;
Oh, take me to my kind old mudder!
Dere let me live and die.
One little hut among de bushes,
One dat I love,
Still sadly to my memory rushes,
No matter where I rove.
When will I see de bees a-humming
All round de comb?
When will I hear de banjo tumming,
Down in my good old home?

All de world am sad and dreary,
Ebery where I roam;
Oh, darkeys, how my heart grows weary,
Far from de old folks at home!




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