I ain’t no swell, me clothes are poor,
Me ways are sometimes rough,
But I always had me reasons,
And I was never tough;
And that is why I liked a girl
We were each others pride.
I trusted her and she owned me,
A year ago she died.

    Belle O’Brien, you are lyin’
    Where the flowers grow
    All me thoughts to you are flyin’
    Where you’re lyin’ low;
    Belle O’Brien, hard I’m tryin’
    Now to find some rest,
    Since I laid those roses cryin’
    On your quiet breast.

I lie awake at night and dream
Of what we were to be
When my Belle got good and ready
To up and marry me;
She liked me better than the rest,
One day she told me so!
I wish she could come back again,
Just like a year ago.

    Belle O’Brien, you are lyin’
    Where the flowers grow
    All me thoughts to you are flyin’
    Where you’re lyin’ low;
    Belle O’Brien, hard I’m tryin’
    Now to find some rest,
    Since I laid those roses cryin’
    On your quiet breast.

I work all day from dawn till dark,
And try to live it down,
But I nevermore am happy,
Beneath misfortunes frown.
The world is not the same to me,
For joy has taken wing,
And thro’ the dreary years my heart
Can only softly sing,

    Belle O’Brien, you are lyin’
    Where the flowers grow
    All me thoughts to you are flyin’
    Where you’re lyin’ low;
    Belle O’Brien, hard I’m tryin’
    Now to find some rest,
    Since I laid those roses cryin’
    On your quiet breast.