W'EN dis ole man comes ter die, Death is mos' unsightly; Doan' yo' lay me in no room Wid de pull-down curtain gloom; 'Taint de place de dead should stay W'en de spirit's gone away, Off ter where hit's brightly. 'Struct de pa'son 'fore he 'gins, Tetch the subject tritely; Kase hit's gen'ly undahstood I hain't been so pow'ful good; An' fo' him ter shout an' groan 'Bout me settin' roun' de frone, 'Low hit won't look rightly, W'en de fun'al 'gins ter start, Shove mah box in tightly. 'Membah I is in de hearse; Yo' am comin', but I'se firs'. Ef de mo'ners grieve and mope, So's ter make de hosses lope, Keep de team up sprightly. Lowah me slowly in de grave; Drap de earf down lightly. Needn't linger long, and, say, 'Spense wid prayer's de better way; Don't keer ef nobody sings. Jes' ter know de chu'ch bell rings 'S gwine ter please me might'ly. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...UPON HIS DEPARTURE HENCE by ROBERT HERRICK GENTLEMEN-RANKERS by RUDYARD KIPLING THE WIND ON THE HILLS by DORA SIGERSON SHORTER THE WELCOME TO ALEXANDRA by ALFRED TENNYSON THE WANDERER: 5. IN HOLLAND: THE SHORE by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON OUT OF THE SHADOWS: AN UNFINISHED SONNET-SEQUENCE 17 by JOSEPH SEAMON COTTER JR. |