Lyr Add: The Time that Me Fethur Wes Bad

Subject: Lyr Add: The Time that Me Fethur Wes Bad
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 21 Jun 04 - 07:29 PM

The Time That Me Fethur Wes Bad.

Tune-"Cum hyem te yor childer an' me."

Thor wes grief I' the hoose all aroond,
An' the neybors luckt in passin' by,
An' they'd whisper, "Hoo is he the day?"
Then hing doon thor heeds wiv a sigh;
An' they'd speak te me muther se kind,
Tho' whativer they said myed her sad;
An' she'd moan real heart broke tiv her-sel,
A' the time that me fethur wes bad.

As me fethur lay ill iv his bed,
As helpless as helpless can be,
Man, it myed me heart ache when he tried
Te smile at wor Johnny an' me.
For he always wes fond ov his bairns,
An' aw mind Johnny said, "Get up, dad!"
For he poor little fellow felt lost,
A' the time that me fethur wes bad.

Then me fethur wad say, "Me gud lass,"
Te me poor muther at his bedside,
"Lass, aw hevin't been half kind te ye."-
"Yis ye hev!" she wad sob as she cried.
Then he'd call me t'him, an' he'd say,
"Ye'll be kind te yor muther, me lad;"
For he knew that his day wes drawin' nigh,
Tho' we nivor thowt he wes se bad.

Then me muther wad sit up a' neet,
An' she'd nivor lie doon throo the day;
But wad spend ivry moment she cud
I' the room where me poor fethur lay:
Till the blow com at last, an' it fell
On wor hearts, when he lay still an' ca'd;
An' tho' eers pass, aw'm sad when aw think
O' the days when me fethur wes bad.

-Joe Wilson, 1869