Jump Back

Seen my lady home las' night,
  Jump back, honey, jump back.
Hel' huh han' an' sque'z it tight,
  Jump back, honey, jump back.
Hyeahd huh sigh a little sigh,
Seen a light gleam f'om huh eye,
An' a smile go flittin' by -- 
  Jump back, honey, jump back.

Hyeahd de win' blow thoo de pine,
  Jump back, honey, jump back.
Mockin'-bird was singin' fine,
  Jump back, honey, jump back.
An' my hea't was beatin' so,
When I reached my lady's do',
Dat I could n't ba' to go -- 
  Jump back, honey, jump back.

Put my ahm aroun' huh wais',
  Jump back, honey, jump back.
Raised huh lips an' took a tase,
  Jump back, honey, jump back.
Love me, honey, love me true?
Love me well ez I love you?
An' she answe'd, "'Cose I do" -- 
 Jump back, honey, jump back.

Because I had loved so deeply,
Because I had loved so long,
God in His great compassion
Gave me the gift of song.

Because I have loved so vainly,
And sung with such faltering breath,
The Master in infinite mercy
Offers the boon of Death.

Win’ a-blowin’ gentle so de san’ lay low,
San’ a little heavy f’om de rain,
All de pa’ms a-wavin’ an’ a-weavin’ slow,
Sighin’ lak a sinnah-soul in pain.
Alligator grinnin’ by de ol’ lagoon,
Mockin’-bird a-singin’ to be big full moon.
‘Skeeter go a-skimmin’ to his fightin’ chune
(Lizy Ann’s a-waitin’ in de lane!).

Moccasin a-sleepin’ in de cyprus swamp;
Need n’t wake de gent’man, not fu’ me.
Mule, you need n’t wake him w’en you switch an’ stomp,
Fightin’ off a ‘skeeter er a flea.
Florida is lovely, she’s de fines’ lan’
Evah seed de sunlight f’om de Mastah’s han’,
‘Ceptin’ fu’ de varmints an’ huh fleas an’ san’
An’ de nights w’en Lizy Ann ain’ free.

Moon ‘s a-kinder shaddered on de melon patch;
No one ain’t a-watchin’ ez I go.
Climbin’ of de fence so ‘s not to click de latch
Meks my gittin’ in a little slow.
Watermelon smilin’ as it say, ‘I’ s free;’
Alligator boomin’, but I let him be,
Florida, oh, Florida ‘s de lan’ fu’ me –
(Lizy Ann a-singin’ sweet an’ low).

O Lord, the hard-won miles
  Have worn my stumbling feet:
Oh, soothe me with thy smiles,
  And make my life complete.

The thorns were thick and keen
  Where'er I trembling trod;
The way was long between
  My wounded feet and God.

Where healing waters flow
  Do thou my footsteps lead.
My heart is aching so;
  Thy gracious balm I need.

Wintah, summah, snow er shine,
Hit’s all de same to me,
Ef only I kin call you mine,
An’ keep you by my knee.

Ha’dship, frolic, grief er caih,
Content by night an’ day,
Ef only I kin see you whaih
You wait beside de way.

Livin’, dyin’, smiles er teahs,
My soul will still be free,
Ef only thoo de comin’ yeahs
You walk de worl’ wid me.

Bird-song, breeze-wail, chune er moan,
What puny t’ings dey’ll be,
Ef w’en I’s seemin’ all erlone,
I knows yo’ hea’t’s wid me.