Silas X. Floyd, "Wayside" (1907)
An' I's come back home to stay,
Whar de sunshine loves to lingah
And de robins sing all day.
I's done seen de crowds o' people,
Jes' a-runnin' to an' fro,
Lak day all done los' day senses
An' was gwine to hunt fo' mo.'
I stood roun' f'om mo'n tell sunset,
An' nobody shook my han',
An' d'ain't a soul said "Hello!"
'Cause day's jes' so rich an' gran';
An' amid dat th'ong an ' bustle,
Up an' down de Broadway street,
I'se gwine tell you I prayed manful '
Jes' a few home-folks to meet!
An' at night it wa'n't no bettah,
'Neaf de mighty 'lectric lights
W'v, de crowds day got heap biggah,
An' I nevah seen sich sights!
But I t'ought o' othah evenin's,
'Neaf de quiet, res'ful moon,
An' I kep' on sayin' easy,
"Wife, I sho' gwine come back soon."
An' so hyar I is, Malindy,
An' I's feelin' mighty fine,
Jes' to git back to de country,
An' dis little wife o' mine.
Whar de sunshine loves to lingah
An' de robins sing all day!
An' I tell you now, Malindy,
Dat's I's come back home to stay.
Published in The Voice of the Negro, January 1907