Stedman and Hutchinson, comps. A Library of American Literature:
An Anthology in Eleven Volumes. 1891.
Vols. IX–XI: Literature of the Republic, Part IV., 1861–1889
The Year of Jubilee
By Henry Clay Work (1832–1884)S
Wid de mouffstash on he face,
Go ’long de road some time dis morning’,
Like he gwine too leabe de place?
He see de smoke way up de ribber
Whar de Lincum gun-boats lay;
He took he hat and leff berry sudden,
And I ’spose he ’s runned away.
De massa run, ha! ha!
De darkey stay, ho! ho!
It mus’ be now de kingdum comin’,
An’ de yar ob Jubilo.
An’ he weigh six hundred poun’;
His coat so big he couldn’t pay de tailor,
An’ it won’t reach half way roun’;
He drill so much dey calls him cap’n,
An’ he git so mighty tan’d
I spec he’ll try to fool dem Yankees
For to tink he contraband.
In de log hut on de lawn,
Dey move dere tings into massa’s parlor
For to keep it while he gone.
Dar’s wine and cider in de kichin,
And de darkeys dey hab some.
I spec it will all be ’fiscated,
When de Lincum sojers come.
An’ he dribe us roun’ a spell,
We lock him up in de smoke-house cellar,
Wid de key flung in de well.
De whip am lost, de han’-cuff broke,
But de massa hab his pay;
He big an’ ole enough for to know better
Dan to went an’ run away.
De massa run, ha! ha!
De darkey stay, ho! ho!
It mus’ be now de kingdum comin’,
An’ de yar ob Jubilo.