The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/'Long To'ds Night

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

LONG TO'DS NIGHT

Daih 's a moughty soothin' feelin'
  Hits a dahky man,
     'Long to'ds night.
W'en de row is mos' nigh ended,
  Den he stops to fan,
     'Long to'ds night.
De blue smoke f'om his cabin is a-callin' to him "Come;"
He smell de bacon cookin', an' he hyeah de fiah hum;
An' he 'mence to sing, 'dough wo'kin' putty nigh done made him dumb,
     'Long to'ds night.

Wid his hoe erpon his shouldah
  Den he goes erlong,
     'Long to'ds night.
An' he keepin' time a-steppin'
  Wid a little song,
     'Long to'ds night.
De restin'-time 's a-comin', an' de time to drink an' eat;
A baby's toddlin' to'ds him on hits little dusty feet,
An' a-goin' to'ds his cabin, an' his suppah 's moughty sweet,
     'Long to'ds night.

Daih his Ca'line min' de kettle,
  Rufus min' de chile,
     'Long to'ds night;
An' de sweat roll down his forred,
  Mixin' wid his smile,
     'Long to'ds night.
He toss his piccaninny, an' he hum a little chune;
De wokin' all is ovah, an' de suppah comin' soon;
De wo'kin' time 's Decembah, but de restin' time is June,
     'Long to'ds night.

Dey 's a kin' o' doleful feelin',
  Hits a tendah place,
     'Long to'ds night;
Dey 's a moughty glory in him
  Shinin' thoo his face,
     Long to'ds night.
De cabin 's lak de big house, an' de fiah's lak de sun;
His wife look moughty lakly, an' de chile de puttiest one;
W'y, hit 's blessid, jes' a-livin' w'en a body's wo'k is done.
     'Long to'ds night.