WHAT WE GWINE TO DO?
Reading edition
Well, de way de thing am lookin’ To ol’ Hezzeekyah Yoon, Dis kentry’s gittin’ wussah Fo’ de po’ and he’pless coon. Dey lynch him on de lef’, An’ dey lynch him on de right, Dey cum an’ git er niggah In de day an’ in de night. Whut we gwine to do? Hain’t dey no whah in de lan’? Hain’t dey fo’ de niggah Not er kin’ an’ he’pin’ han’? Oh de niggah’s got er moighty Tuff an’ thorny road to tread— Dey’s bullets, clubs an’ razzahs Allus flyin’ at his head. It’s er mer’kul all de niggahs Haben’ suffer’d dat same fate. De string up to de lamp-pos’ An’ de string up to de gate. When de signul’s gibbun Fo’ to rally ’roun’ de flag, Nebbah fo’ er minute Am er niggah seed to lagg. De niggah hain’t rebelyus Though he doan’ git all things jus’; He’s loyal to his kentry, Nebbah habs betrayed his trus’. He allus takes de bitters ’Zactly lak he does de sweet, He goes right on light hea’ted, Wid er tew step to his feet. Whut we gwine to do? Hain’t dey no whah in de lan’? Hain’t dey fo’ de niggah Not er kin’ an’ he’pin’ han’?
