Claude McKay, "Reveille Soun'in'" (1912)
Depôt p'liceman mus' wake up;
Some mus' dress fe go to town,
Some to Parade fe shake-up.
You lazy ones can lay down still,
We have no time fe dat;
De wake-ups comin' roun', an' you'll
Jump as you feel de cat.
For soon de half pas' dress will blow
Fe we to go a-drillin';
De time is bery short, an' so
We mus' be quick an' willin'.
A marnin' bade is sweet fe true,
But we mus' quick fe done;
It col' dough,so it's only few
Can stan' it how it bu'n.
'Tis quarter warnin' soun'in' now,
Our arms mus' clean an' soun';
We will ketch 'port ef we allow
A speck fe lodge aroun'.
Tip blow yet? good Lard! hear" fall in,"
Must double 'pon de grass;
I didn' know de las' call be'n
Deh blow on us so fas'.
Published in Songs of Jamaica, 1912