Songs of Jamaica (1912)
Rise and Fall
[Thoughts of Burns—with apologies to his immortal spirit for making him speak in Jamaican dialect.]
DEY read[1] ’em again an’ again,
An’ laugh an’ cry[2] at ’em in turn ;
I felt I was gettin’ quite vain,
But dere was a lesson fe learn.
My poverty quickly took wing,
Of life no experience had I;
I couldn’ then want anyt’ing
Dat kindness or money could buy.
I went to de ballroom at night,
An’ danced wid de belles of de hour;
Half dazed by de glitterin’ light,
I lounged in de palm-covered bower.
But soon I was tired of it all,
My spirit was weary to roam;[3]
De life grew as bitter as gall,
I hungered again for my home.
Te-day I am back in me lan’,
Forgotten by all de gay throng,
A poorer but far wiser man,
An’ knowin’ de right from de wrong.