Ring, Ring de Banjo! Poem by Stephen Collins Foster

De time is nebber dreary
If de darkey nebber groans;
De ladies nebber weary
Wid de rattle ob de bones:
Den come again Susanna
By de gaslight ob de moon;
We'll tum de old Piano
When de banjo's out ob tune.
2
Oh! nebber count de bubbles
While der's water in de spring:
De darkey hab no troubles
While he's got dis song to sing.
De beauties ob creation
Will nebber lose der charm
While I roam de old plantation
Wid my true lub on my arm.
Ring, ring de banjo!
I like dat good old song,
Come again my true lub,
Oh! wha you been so long.
3
Once I was so lucky,
— My massa set me free,
I went to old Kentucky
— To see what I could see:
I could not go no farder,
— I turn to massa's door,
I lub him all de harder,
— I'll go away no more.
— — Ring, ring de banjo! &c.
4
Early in de morning
— Oh a lubly summer day,
My massa send me warning
— He'd like to hear me play.
On de banjo tapping,
— I come wid duleem strain;
Massa fall a napping —
— He'll nebber wake again.
— — Ring, ring de banjo! &c.
5
My lub, I'll hab to leabe you
— While de ribber's running high:
But I nebber can deceibe you —
— So dont you wipe your eye.
I's guine to make some money;
— But I'll come anodder day —
I'll come again my honey,
— If I hab to work my way.
— — Ring, ring de banjo! &c.