Claude McKay's Early Poetry (1911-1922): A Digital Collection

Jubba

[McKay's footnote]

My Jubba waiting dere fe me;
Me, knowin', went out on de spree,
An' she, she wait deh till midnight,
Bleach-bleachin' in de cold moonlight:
An' when at last I did go home
I found out dat she had just come,
An' now she tu'n her back away,
An' won't listen a wud I say. 

   Forgive me, Jubba, Jubba dear,
   As you are standing, standing there,
   An' I will no more mek you grieve,
   My Jubba, ef you'll but forgive. 

I'll go to no more dancing booth,
I'll play no more wid flirty Ruth,
I didn' mean a t'ing, Jubba,
I didn' know you'd bex fe da';
I only took two set o' dance
An' at de bidding tried me chance; 
I buy de big crown-bread fe you,
An' won't you tek it, Jubba ? -- do. 

   Forgive me, Jubba, Jubba dear, etc. 

It was a nice tea-meeting though,
None o' de boy dem wasn' slow,
An' it was pack' wid pretty gal,
So de young man was in dem sall
But when I 'member you a yard 
I know dat you would t'ink it hard,
Aldough, Jubba, 'twas sake o' spite
Mek say you wouldn' come te-night.

   Forgive me, Jubba, Jubba dear, etc. 

l Ief' you, Jub, in such a state,
I neber knew dat you would wait i
Yet all de while I couldn' res',
De t'ought o' you was in me breas';
So nummo time I couldn' was'e,
But me go get me pillow-case 
An' put in deh you bread an' cake
Forgive me, Jubba, fe God sake! 

   Forgive me, Jubba, Jubba dear, etc. 

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