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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A SONG OF SLEEP-TIME by ANONYMOUS

First Line: "SLEEP, LI'L BOY, AN' I ROCK-A YOU LOW"
Last Line: "HE MUS' TRAVEL FREW DE LANE OF DREAMS!"
Sleep, li'l boy, an' I rock-a you low,
An' I rock-a you high--dis way!
Dess-a close you eyes an' erway we go
To er place dat I saw to-day--
To er fines' place, whar it's never cold,
What de folk lives long an' don't git old,
An' a li'l ol' man all dressed in gold,
He bow-a to me an' say:

"Go right home an' tell dat pickaninny,
Tell he dat I wait to play wif him--
Wait right hyar, war you lef' me, Mammy
Ginny.
Settin' on de locus' bigges' limb!
Go right home an' tell dat li'l ras'al
Dat I'se whar de moon done lef' its beams;
An' if he done wants to see mah castle,
He mus' travel frew de Lane of Dreams!"

Sleep, li'l boy, an' you take-a dat trip,
Way over dat moonlight sea,
An' you sail ercross on a silver ship,
An' de Cap'n he tote you free!
Yath, I know dat so, dess what I say,
Kas' I meet dat li'l ol' man to-day,
An' he bows his head down dish yer way,
An' he sing-a dis song to me:

"Go right home an' tell dat pickaninny,
Tell he dat I wait to play wif him--
Wait right hyar, whar you lef' me, Mammy
Ginny,
Settin' on de locus' bigges' limb!
Go right home an' tell dat li'l ras'al
Dat I'se whar de moon done lef' its beams;
An' if he done wants to see mah castle,
He mus' travel frew de Lane of Dreams!"



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