WHILE me deh walk ‘long in de street,
\nPoliceman’s yawnin’ on his beat ;
\nAn’ dis de wud him chief ta’n say\u2014
\nMe mus’n’ car’ me apple-tray.<\/p>\n
Ef me no wuk, me boun’ fe tief; Black nigger wukin’ laka cow P’lice an’ dem headman gamble too, De headman fe de town police Ah son-son! dough you ‘re bastard, yah, But how judge believe policemen, We hab fe barter-out we soul Dem wan’ fe see we in de street Ah massa Jesus! in you’ love
\nS’pose dat will please de p\u00f3lice chief!
\nDe prison dem mus’ be wan’ full,[1]<\/sup><\/a>
\nMek dem’s ‘pon we like ravin’ bull.<\/p>\n
\nAn’ wipin’ sweat-drops from him brow,
\nDough him is dyin’ sake o’ need,
\nP’lice an’ dem headman boun’ fe feed.<\/p>\n
\nDey shuffle card an’ bet fe true;
\nYet ef me Charlie gamble, well,
\nDem try fe ‘queeze him laka hell.<\/p>\n
\nMind[2]<\/sup><\/a> neber know a little peace,
\n‘Cep’ when him an’ him heartless ban’
\nHab sufferin’ nigger in dem han’.<\/p>\n
\nAn’ dere’s no one you can call pa,
\nJes’ try to ha’ you’ mudder’s min’
\nAn’ Police Force you’ll neber jine.<\/p>\n
\nDem dutty mout’ wid lyin’ stain’?
\nWhile we go batterin’ along
\nDem doin’ we all sort o’ wrong.<\/p>\n
\nTo lib t’rough dis ungodly wul’;
\nmassa Jesus! don’t you see
\nHow police is oppressin’ we?<\/p>\n
\nDah foller dem all ‘pon dem beat;
\nAn’ after, ‘dout a drop o’ shame,
\nSay we be’n dah solicit dem.<\/p>\n
\nJes’ look do’n from you’ t’rone above,
\nAn’ show me how a poo’ weak gal
\nCan lib good life in dis ya wul’.<\/p>\n