There once was a time when my heart was devout,
  But now my religion is open to doubt. 
  When parson is earnestly preaching of grace,
  My fancy is busy with drawing a face,
  Thro’ the back of a bonnet most piously plain;
  ‘I draw it, redraw it, and draw it again.’ 
  While the songs and the sermon unheeded go by,—­
  All on account of a sparkling eye.

  Oh, dear little conjurer, give o’er your wiles,
  It is easy for you, you’re all blushes and smiles: 
  But, love of my heart, I am sorely perplexed;
  I am smiling one minute and sighing the next;
  And if it goes on, I ’ll drop hackle and flail,
  And go to the parson and tell him my tale. 
  I warrant he ’ll find me a cure for the sigh
  That you ’re aye bringing forth with the glance of your eye.

EXPECTATION

  You ‘ll be wonderin’ whut ’s de reason
    I ‘s a grinnin’ all de time,
  An’ I guess you t’ink my sperits
    Mus’ be feelin’ mighty prime. 
  Well, I ’fess up, I is tickled
    As a puppy at his paws. 
  But you need n’t think I’s crazy,
    I ain’ laffin’ ’dout a cause.

  You’s a wonderin’ too, I reckon,
    Why I does n’t seem to eat,
  An’ I notice you a lookin’
    Lak you felt completely beat
  When I ’fuse to tek de bacon,
    An’ don’ settle on de ham. 
  Don’ you feel no feah erbout me,
    Jes’ keep eatin’, an’ be ca’m.

  Fu’ I’s waitin’ an’ I’s watchin’
    ’Bout a little t’ing I see—­
  D’ othah night I’s out a walkin’
    An’ I passed a ’simmon tree. 
  Now I’s whettin’ up my hongry,
    An’ I’s laffin’ fit to kill,
  Fu’ de fros’ done turned de ’simmons,
    An’ de possum ’s eat his fill.

  He done go’ged hisse’f owdacious,
    An’ he stayin’ by de tree! 
  Don’ you know, ol’ Mistah Possum
    Dat you gittin’ fat fu’ me? 
  ’T ain’t no use to try to ’spute it,
    ‘Case I knows you’s gittin’ sweet
  Wif dat ’simmon flavoh thoo you,
    So I’s waitin’ fu’ yo’ meat.

  An’ some ebenin’ me an Towsah
    Gwine to come an’ mek a call,
  We jes’ drap in onexpected
    Fu’ to shek yo’ han’, dat’s all. 
  Oh, I knows dat you ’ll be tickled,
    Seems lak I kin see you smile,
  So pu’haps I mought pu’suade you
    Fu’ to visit us a while.

LOVER’S LANE

  Summah night an’ sighin’ breeze,
    ’Long de lovah’s lane;
  Frien’ly, shadder-mekin’ trees,
    ’Long de lovah’s lane. 
  White folks’ wo’k all done up gran’—­
  Me an’ ‘Mandy han’-in-han’
  Struttin’ lak we owned de lan’,
    ’Long de lovah’s lane.

  Owl a-settin’ ’side de road,
    ’Long de lovah’s lane,
  Lookin’ at us lak he knowed
    Dis uz lovah’s lane. 
  Go on, hoot yo’ mou’nful tune,
  You ain’ nevah loved in June,
  An’ come hidin’ f’om de moon
    Down in lovah’s lane.