I TOOK my marnin’ bat’ alone,
\nAn’ wept for Bennie dat was gone ;
\nAn’ after, sittin’, weepin’ long,
\nSome one came askin’ wha’ be’n wrong:
\nBut only chokin’ sobs he heard,
\nMy mout’ could never speak a word.
\nAn’ so for long days all was grief,
\nAn’ never could I get relief;
\nMy heart be’n full of emptiness,
\nWith naught to love an’ naught to bless,<\/p>\n
I ‘member de familiar scene: I sat do’n still; de evenin’ light I never knew a nicer mind, ‘Tis not de way o’ dis ya wul’ Where’er I roam, whate’er the clime,
\nI sat out on de Dep\u00f4t green,
\nRestin’ agains’ de big great gun:
\nDe long rays o’ de settin’ sun
\nWere thrown upon the sombre wall;
\nI heard de rousin’ bugle-call
\nIn chorus[1]<\/sup><\/a> soundin’ o’ retreat ;
\nA ray o’ light shone on my seat,
\nA soft dull shade of changin’ gold,
\nSo pleasant, lovely to behold :
\nA moment, an’ I was alone,
\nDe wanin’ evenin’ sun was gone.<\/p>\n
\nPassed on, an’ it fell night, dark night.
\n‘Twas autumn: feelin’ rather chill,
\nI rose, led by my aimless will,
\nAn’ went up to the second floor,
\nSat on a bench agains’ de door.
\nA comrade came an’ sat by me,
\nRestin’ a hand upon my knee;
\nDe lantern old was burnin’ dim,
\nBut bright ‘nough for me to see him:
\nOne searchin’ look into his face,
\nI gave him in my heart a place.<\/p>\n
\nHe was so pleasant an’ so kind;
\nAn’ oh ! the sweetness of his voice
\nThat made my lonely heart rejoice.
\nIt all comes back so vividly,
\nThe comfort that he brought to me;
\nThe ray of hope, the pure pure joy
\nHe gave a poor forsaken boy;
\nIn walk or talk his tender care,
\nHis deep concern for my welfare.
\nHis comin’ filled the larger part
\nOf de great void made in my heart
\nWhen on dat cruel awful day
\nMy faithful Bennie went away.<\/p>\n
\nDat any miserable soul
\nShould know a little lastin’ peace,
\nShould taste endurin’ happiness.
\nDe harmless tabby o’ de house
\nPlays kindly wid de frightened mouse,
\nTill, when it nearly loses dread,
\nGood Lard! de little thing is dead.
\nSo wid de man, toy of a Will
\nE’er playin’ with him to its fill,
\nTo-day alive, to-morrow slain,
\nThus all our pleasure ends in pain.<\/p>\n
\nI’ll never know a happier time ;
\nI seemed as happy as could be,
\nWhen everything was torn from me.
\nDe fateful day I ‘member still,
\nDe final breakin’ o’ my will,
\nAgain de sayin’ o’ good-bye,
\nMy poor heart’s silent wailin’ cry;
\nMy life, my soul, my all be’n gone,
\nAnd ever since I am alone.<\/p>\n