 | Songs of two centuries |  |
43
UNCLE JAKE'S THANKSGIVING.
There's a lot o' folks they say that's a-holdin' up today
Several mercies that they only just have found;
There's a river full o' thanks that's a-bustin' of its banks,
An' a-inundatin' all de country round.
Several mercies that they only just have found;
There's a river full o' thanks that's a-bustin' of its banks,
An' a-inundatin' all de country round.
Dar's a lot o' folks I fear that's attracted by de cheer,
An' is thankin' like dey never thanked before;
An' there's lots o' fervent pra'rs like de tickets on de cars—
Good fur dis yer one day only an' no more.
An' is thankin' like dey never thanked before;
An' there's lots o' fervent pra'rs like de tickets on de cars—
Good fur dis yer one day only an' no more.
I'm a-going to make dis day sort of up an' cl'r de way
Fur a reg-lar thank-procession thro' de yeah;
So I'll sort o' set me down 'fore de odder folks is roun',
An'll undertake to view my mercies cleah.
Fur a reg-lar thank-procession thro' de yeah;
So I'll sort o' set me down 'fore de odder folks is roun',
An'll undertake to view my mercies cleah.
Here's dis rheumatis': I s'pose it's a blessin' in repose,
Fur I'm happy when it isn't to be foun';
Must've ketched it from de moon in de season of de coon;
An' I s'pose o' co'se de Lawd was watchin' roun'.
Fur I'm happy when it isn't to be foun';
Must've ketched it from de moon in de season of de coon;
An' I s'pose o' co'se de Lawd was watchin' roun'.
Here's dis bullet in my knee; 'twan't by no request o' me,
But it cured me from de nights I used to roam;
An' I think in that affair, dat de Lawd was surely there;
Fur I'm raisin' all my chickens now to home.
But it cured me from de nights I used to roam;
An' I think in that affair, dat de Lawd was surely there;
Fur I'm raisin' all my chickens now to home.
My ten chil'ren I suppose good as offspring gen'lly goes,
But deir everlastin' tricks won't let me be;
All de fool'ry I concealed, in deir actions is revealed;
An' dat's whar de Lawd has got a joke on me.
But deir everlastin' tricks won't let me be;
All de fool'ry I concealed, in deir actions is revealed;
An' dat's whar de Lawd has got a joke on me.
44
Dese yer enemies I've got, can be 'stroyed as well as not,
Ef I only count de whole mankin' as fren's;
An' de stabs an' jabs dey gib underneath de lower rib,
Is chastisin' dat de Lawd A'mighty sen's.
Ef I only count de whole mankin' as fren's;
An' de stabs an' jabs dey gib underneath de lower rib,
Is chastisin' dat de Lawd A'mighty sen's.
When dere comes a melon-famine, an' de vines is all a-shammin',
It's intended I wid gratitude should think
Of de seasons furder back, when dere wasn't any lack
Of dat hebbenly fruit containin' food an' drink.
It's intended I wid gratitude should think
Of de seasons furder back, when dere wasn't any lack
Of dat hebbenly fruit containin' food an' drink.
An' de dollars I done see dat didn't even call on me,
An' de less or greater loved ones dat I've lost—
All de t'ings dat I'm bereft, makes me thankful fur what's left;
An' is worth to soul an' body all dey cost.
An' de less or greater loved ones dat I've lost—
All de t'ings dat I'm bereft, makes me thankful fur what's left;
An' is worth to soul an' body all dey cost.
An' a million joys dar are, from de daisy to de star,
Dat is worth de time of countin' o'er and o'er;
But of all thank-timber yet, it's the things I didn't get,
That I think I hev to be de thankfulest for.
Dat is worth de time of countin' o'er and o'er;
But of all thank-timber yet, it's the things I didn't get,
That I think I hev to be de thankfulest for.
| Songs of two centuries | |