Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

James Weldon Johnson, ed. (1871–1938). The Book of American Negro Poetry. 1922.

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.

Bush it ben’ an’ nod an’ sway,

Down in lovah’s lane,

Try’n’ to hyeah me whut I say

’Long de lovah’s lane.

But I whispahs low lak dis,

An’ my ’Mandy smile huh bliss—

Mistah Bush he shek his fis’,

Down in lovah’s lane.

Whut I keer ef day is long,

Down in lovah’s lane.

I kin allus sing a song

’Long de lovah’s lane.

An’ de wo’ds I hyeah an’ say

Meks up fu’ de weary day

Wen I’s strollin’ by de way,

Down in lovah’s lane.

An’ dis t’ought will allus rise

Down in lovah’s lane;

Wondah whethah in de skies

Dey’s a lovah’s lane.

Ef dey ain’t, I tell you true,

’Ligion do look mighty blue,

’Cause I do’ know whut I’d do

’Dout a lovah’s lane.