by James Ephriam McGirt (1874 - 1930)
W'en de sun shines hot
Language: English
No, dere ain't no use er workin' in de blazin' summertime, Whin de fruit hab filled de orchard, an' de burries bend de vine; Der's enuf ter keep us libin' in de little gyarden spot, An' der aint no use'n workin' w'en de sun shines hot. Fur I'ze read it in de Bible 'bout de lilies how dey grow, It was put in der er purpus dat de workin' men mout know, Dat dis diggin' an er grabben, wusn't men't in our lot, An' der ain't no use'n workin' we'n de sun shines hot. Does yer heer de streams er callin' az it cralls erlong de rill; Does yer se de vines er wavin', biddin' me ter kum an' fill? Whar's m' hook and line -- say, Hannah, give me all de bait yer got, Fur der ain't no use'n workin' w'en de sun shines hot. Des 'bout dark I kum hum, strollin' wid a binch er lubly trout; Hannah she c'mmence er grinnin' little Rastus 'gin to shout; Soon de hoecake is er bakin', fish er fryin', table sot. No, der ain't no use'n workin' w'en de sun shines hot.
Authorship:
- by James Ephriam McGirt (1874 - 1930), "W'en de sun shines hot", appears in Avenging the Maine, a Drunken A.B. and Other Poems, first published 1901 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "W'en de sun shines hot", 2009 [medium voice and piano] [ sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-11-23
Line count: 16
Word count: 190