| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900. |
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| 1642. On the Road |
| | | By Paul Laurence Dunbar |
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| I’ S boun’ to see my gal to-night— | |
| Oh, lone de way, my dearie! | |
| De moon ain’t out, de stars ain’t bright— | |
| Oh, lone de way, my dearie! | |
| Dis hoss o’ mine is pow’ful slow, | 5 |
| But when I does git to yo’ do’ | |
| Yo’ kiss ’ll pay me back, an’ mo’, | |
| Dough lone de way, my dearie. | |
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| De night is skeery-lak an’ still— | |
| Oh, lone de way, my dearie! | 10 |
| ’Cept fu’ dat mou’nful whippo’will— | |
| Oh, lone de way, my dearie! | |
| De way so long wif dis slow pace, | |
| ’T’u’d seem to me lak savin’ grace | |
| Ef you was on a nearer place, | 15 |
| Fu’ lone de way, my dearie. | |
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| I hyeah de hootin’ of de owl— | |
| Oh, lone de way, my dearie! | |
| I wish dat watch-dog would n’t howl— | |
| Oh, lone de way, my dearie! | 20 |
| An’ evaht’ing bofe right an’ lef’, | |
| Seem p’int’tly lak hit put itse’f | |
| In shape to skeer me half to def— | |
| Oh, lone de way, my dearie! | |
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| I whistles so ’s I won’t be feared— | 25 |
| Oh, lone de way, my dearie! | |
| But anyhow I ’s kin’o’ skeered, | |
| Fu’ lone de way, my dearie. | |
| De sky been lookin’ mighty glum, | |
| But you kin mek hit lighten some, | 30 |
| Ef you ’ll jes’ say you ’s glad I come, | |
| Dough lone de way, my dearie. | |
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