The old days - the far days - The overdear and fair! - The old days - the lost days - How lovely they were! The old days of Morning, With the dew-drench on the flowers And apple-buds and blossoms...
The summer winds is sniffin' round the bloomin' locus' trees; And the clover in the pastur is a big day fer the bees, And they been a-swiggin' honey, above board and on the sly,...
Always suddenly they are gone - The friends we trusted and held secure - Suddenly we are gazing on, Not a smiling face, but the marble-pure Dead mask of a face that nevermore...
Up and down old Brandywine, In the days 'at's past and gone - With a dad-burn hook-and line And a saplin' pole - swawn! I've had more fun, to the square Inch, than ever ANYwhere!...
Lawzy! don't I rickollect That-'air old swing in the lane! Right and proper, I expect, Old times can't come back again; But I want to state, ef they Could come back, and I could say...
What dat scratchin' at de kitchin do'? Done heah'n dat foh an hour er mo'! Tell you Mr. Niggah, das sho's yo' bo'n, Hit's mighty lonesome waitin' when de folks is gone! ...
When my dreams come true - when my dreams come true - Shall I lean from out my casement, in the starlight and the dew, To listen - smile and listen to the tinkle of the strings...
When Old Jack died, we stayed from school (they said, At home, we needn't go that day), and none Of us ate any breakfast - only one, And that was Papa - and his eyes were red...