DE mo’ me wuk, de mo’ time hard,
\nI don’t know what fe do;
\nI ben’ me knee an’ pray to Gahd,
\nYet t’ings same as befo’.<\/p>\n
De taxes knockin’ at me door, De picknies hab to go to school De clodes is’ tearin’ off dem back De peas won’t pop,[5]<\/sup><\/a> de corn can’t grow, I won’t gib up, I won’t say die,
\nI hear de bailiff’s v’ice;
\nMe wife is sick, can’t get no cure,
\nBut gnawin’ me like mice.[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n
\nWidout a bite fe taste;
\nAnd I am working like a mule,
\nWhile buccra, sittin’ in de cool,
\nHab ’nuff nenyam fe waste.[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhen money seems noa mek ;
\nA man can’t eben ketch a mac,[3]<\/sup><\/a>
\nCare how him ‘train him neck.’[4]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n
\nPoor people face look sad;
\nDat Gahd would cuss de lan’ I’d know,
\nFor black naygur too bad.<\/p>\n
\nFor alI de time is hard;
\nAldough de wul’ soon en’, I’ll try
\nMy wutless[6]<\/sup><\/a> best as ti me goes by,
\nAn’ trust on in me Gahd.<\/p>\n