O, I'M sick an' tired an' lonely, An' I'd give the worl', if only I could see the ole plantation where I played so long ago. See the willers—swishin', swishin'— In the creek—jes' right for fishin'— Hear the tinkle of the cow-bell in the medder jes' below, An' to lay there, blinkin', blinkin', In the hazy sun, an' thinkin' Of the batty-cakes fur supper, with the berries an' the cream, Of the batty-cakes an' berries that would vanish like a dream. O, I'm sick an' tired an' lonely, An' I'd give a hoss if only I could drink ergin the buttermilk I drunk so long ago, In the dairy, cool an' curlin' With the water 'round it purlin' An' the white-wash walls a-shinin' in a microbekillin' glow, Jes' to drink there, sorter dreamy, Eatin' hoe-cake, crisp an' creamy, With the smell of fryin' batty-cakes upon the evenin' air— Fryin' batty-cakes an' bacon floatin' on the evenin' air. O, I'm sick an' tired an' lonely, But I'd walk a state if only I could walk in on the ole folks that I loved so long ago, On the mother, knittin', knittin', An' the father smokin', sittin' Where the sun-beams loved to flicker an' the moon-beams loved to flow, Jes' to set there, noddin', winkin', Full of batty-cakes an' thinkin' 'Bout time to kiss 'em good-night now, an' lay me down to sleep— Kiss 'em good-night now forever—an' then lay me down to sleep. |