Des Fo’ Day Poem by James Ephraim McGirt

When fo' yeahs yo've been er tryin'
'N' de thing fo' wh't yer tries,
Ez yo' reach yer han' ter t'ke it,
Des mov's off bufore yer eyes,
'N' yer thro' er side yer shovel,
Like yer ain't goin' wohk no mo',
'N' yer wonder whur's ole Gabr'l,
What's de re'son he don't blo';
Den yer wan' ter wohk de harder,
Fo' ise allus he'rd um say,
De darkes' hour,
Des fo' day.

Co'rse its hard ter keep on runnin',
When de stake keeps-movin' 'way,
'N' ter hav' er mind fo' wohkin,
When yer think der ain't no pay,
But puhaps when clouds er blackes',
'N' der worl' seems at its wu's,
Dat it all com's on er pu'pus,
Maby it fo' warnin' us,
Den yer wan' ter wohk de harder,
Fo' ize allus he'rd um say,
De darkes' hour,
Des fo' day.