Sylvester-s Dying Bed
I woke up this mornin-
-Bout half-past three.
All the womens in town
Was gathered round me.
Sweet gals was a-moanin-,
-Sylvester-s gonna die!â?
And a hundred pretty mamas
Bowed their heads to cry.
I woke up little later
-Bout half-past fo-,
The doctor -n- undertaker-s
Both at ma do-.
Black gals was a-beggin-,
-You can-t leave us here!â?
Brown-skins cryin-, -Daddy!
Honey! Baby! Don-t go, dear!â?
But I felt ma time-s a-comin-,
And I know-d I-s dyin- fast.
I seed the River Jerden
A-creepin- muddy past-
But I-s still Sweet Papa -Vester,
Yes, sir! Long as life do last!
So I hollers, -Com-ere, babies,
Fo- to love yo- daddy right!â?
And I reaches up to hug -em-
When the Lawd put out the light.
Then everything was darkness
In a great ... big ... night.
Langston Hughes
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