Page:Claude McKay Constab Ballads.djvu/21

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BENNIE’S DEPARTURE
17

An’ his lovin’ words completely
Helped me to forget de hate.

An’ my heart would start a-pinin’
Ef, when one o’clock came roun’,
He was not beside me dinin’,
But be’n at some duty boun’:
Not a t’ing could sweet me eatin'’,
Wid my Bennie ’way from me;
Strangely would my heart be beatin’
Tell I knew dat he was free.

When at last he came to table,
Neider one could ever bate
Tell in some way we were able
To eke out each udder plate
All me t’oughts were of my frennie
Then an’ in de after days
Ne’er can I forget my Bennie
Wid him nice an’ pleasant ways.

In de evenin’ we went walkin’,
An’ de sweet sound of his voice,
As we laughed or kept a-talkin’,
Made my lovin’ heart rejoice:
Full of happiness we strolled on,
In de closin’ evenin’ light,
Where de stately Cobre[1] rolled on
Gurglin’, murm’rin’ in de night;

Where de rushin’ cánal waters

Splashed t’rough fields of manchinic,
  1. the river at Spanish Town.