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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

DE LININ' UB DE HYMNS by DANIEL WEBSTER DAVIS

First Line: DARE A MIGHTY ROW IN ZION AN' DE DEBBIL'S GITTIN' HIGH
Last Line: JES LEBE A LEETLE PLACE IN CHUCH FUR DEM AS KIN NOT READ.
Dare a mighty @3row@1 in Zion an' de @3debbil's gittin' high,@1
An' de @3saints@1 done beat de @3sinners, a-cussin' on de sly;@1
What for it am? you reckon, well, I'll tell how it 'gin
Twuz 'bout a @3mighty leetle thing, de linin' ub de hyms.@1

De @3young folks@1 say @3taint stylish@1 to @3lin' out@1 no mo',
Dat @3dey's@1 got @3edikashun,@1 an' dey wants us all to know
Dat @3dey@1 likes to hab dar @3singin' books@1 a-holin' fore dar eyes,
An @3sing de hymns right straight along@1 to mansion in de skies.

Dat it am @3awful fogy@1 to gin um out @3by lin',@1
An' ef de ole folks will kumplain 'cause dey is ole an' blin
An' slabry's chain don kep dem back from larnin how to read,
Dat @3dey@1 mus' take a @3corner seat,@1 and let de @3young folks@1 lead.

We @3bin@1 peatin' @3hine@1 de pastor when he sez dat lubly pray'r
Cause some un us @3don kno' it@1 an' kin not say it squar,
But dey sez we @3mus' peat wid@1 him, an' ef we kan keep time,
De gospel train will drap us off from follin' long behin'.

Well p'haps dez's right, I kin not say, my lims is growin' ole,
But I likes to sing dem dear ole hymns 'tis @3music to my soul,@1
An' 'pears to me twon't do @3much@1 harm to gin um out @3by lin',@1
So we @3ole folk@1 dat @3kin not read@1 kin @3foller long behin'.@1

But few ub us am lef here now dat bore de slabry's chain,
We don edekate our boys an' gals we'd do de sam' again
An @3Zion's@1 all dat's lef us now to cheer us wid its song,
Dey @3mought@1 'low us to @3sing wid dem,@1 it kin not be fur long.

De @3sarmons@1 high-falutin' an' de @3chuch@1 am mighty fin',
We trus' dat @3God still understans@1 ez he did in olden times;
When we do ign'ant po an' mean still worshiped wid de soul
Do oft akross our peac'ful breas' de wabes ub trouble rolled.

De ole time @3groans@1 an' @3shouts@1 an' @3moans@1 am passin' out ub sight,
@3Edikashun changed all dat,@1 and we believe @3it right:@1
We @3should@1 serb God @3wid 'telligence@1 but fur dis thing I plead,
@3Jes lebe a leetle place in chuch fur dem as kin not read.@1



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