Thanks, Malcolm. You started me on an afternoon's work. Searching around, I found that the lyrics were written by George Pope Morris, 1802-1864. He also wrote that old terror of by-gone grade school recitation, Woodman, spare that tree! Through etext.lib.virginia.edu, I obtained a 3rd verse not given by vissjoy (01-May-99-09:28 PM), left out of the Copland arrangement. In the 2nd verse, Pope's original, substitute dove-eyes for blue eyes. Third verse, oh, sob!- Mingled were our hearts forever,/ Long time ago! Can I now forget her? Never!/ No, lost one, No! To her grave these tears are given,/ Ever to flow, She's the star I missed from Heaven,/ Long time ago! Because the song was used by M. T. Rice in an "Ethiopian Opera," some have mistakenly attributed a Negro origin to the song.