| |
| WHAT bird is that, with voice so sweet, | |
| Sings to the sun from yonder tree? | |
| What girl is that so slim and fleet, | |
| Comes through the cane her love to meet? | |
| Foli zo-zo, sing merrily. | 5 |
| The pretty girl she comes to me! | |
| |
| What wind is that upon the cane? | |
| What perfume from a far-off rose | |
| Fills me with dreams? What strange, vague pain | |
| Stirs in my heart? What longing vain | 10 |
| Is this that through my bosom goes? | |
| O south wind, perfume and desire, | |
| You kiss, you soothe, you burn like fire! | |
| |
| Ah, no! Ah, no! It is a cheat. | |
| There is no bird; my love comes not; | 15 |
| The wind chills me from head to feet, | |
| And oh, it brings no perfume sweet. | |
| My slender girl the white man bought, | |
| And took her far across the bay— | |
| I cannot cut the cane to-day! | 20 |
| |
| I cannot cut the cane to-day— | |
| O zo-zo, moquer, come and sing! | |
| O warm wind, through the cane-field stray, | |
| Wave the long moss so soft and gray! | |
| I have no heart for anything; | 25 |
| But life was heaven and work was play | |
| When my love loved me every day! | |
| |
| White man, how I worked for you | |
| When I was young and blithe and strong! | |
| The earth was green, the sky was blue, | 30 |
| My love’s eyes were as bright as dew; | |
| And life was like the zo-zo’s song! | |
| But you—you sold my love away— | |
| I cannot cut the cane to-day! | |
| |
| I did not dream a slave could be | 35 |
| A man, and right a grievous wrong. | |
| I writhed and bore your cruelty; | |
| I felt the soul go out of me; | |
| And yet, I was so lion-strong | |
| I could have torn your heart away— | 40 |
| I cannot cut the cane to-day! | |
| |
| Freedom! I feel it when too late, | |
| Like spring wind on a blasted tree, | |
| A waft of mockery and hate! | |
| Bring back my chains, O cruel Fate! | 45 |
| Bring youth and slavery back to me; | |
| Bring back the lash, the hound, the pain, | |
| So that my own love come again! | |
| |
| But hark! A gentle voice afar | |
| Calls me to go, I know not where— | 50 |
| Yes, past the sun and past the star, | |
| Into God’s land. A golden car | |
| And milk-white horses—she is there! | |
| So sweet—I dream—I float away— | |
| I cannot cut the cane to-day! | 55 |
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