Saturday, March 7, 2015

Scoundrel Jim



Say, hev yer seen my Jimmy?
     I can’t find him anywhere;
He promised he would meet me,
     By de little gate-way dere.
I’ve waited, an’ I’ve waited,
     An’ I somehow feel dat he
Won’t come and keep his promise
     Ez he said he would by me.

He said at nine, it’s ten a’ready,
     Mother’ll be a-wonderin’ why
I don’t get in, an’ God fergive me,
     ‘Tain’t no use no mere to lie.
Yer see, my Jimmy told me
     He would marry me ternight,
Den we’d go back home tergetter,
     An’ tell ‘em de hull ting right.

Fer, yer see dey doesn’t know it,
     But w;en we are spliced, yer see,
W’y I’ve got me husban’ Jimmy,
     Ter say de right word fer me.
O, yes, I’m a little cold, mum,
     But it ain’t der wind, O, no,
It’s – er – Jimmy, mum, my Jimmy,
     Dat’s makin’ me shiver so.

‘Cuz if he shouldn’t show u, mum,
     I won’t go back home no more;
No no, I know what I’ll do, mum,
     I’ve planned it out afore.
It’s marry me now, or der river,
     Death , if I don’t git his name!
Does yer think I can live any longer
     Wid nuttin’ ter cover me shame?

I tells yer, it’s him or de river,
     De water will bury de tale;
Stand back! Dey’s no one kin stop me,
     But yer lookin’ skeert an’ pale –
What! Yer say yer’ve seen my Jimmy?
     Him – goin’ off – on de train?
O, God! Keep away – don’t yer stop me!
     Curse him, an’ curse him again!



March 7, ‘97


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