Classic Poem

O when you come in summer time,
To South Carlinar's sultry clime,
If in de shade you chance to lie,
You'll soon find out de blue tail fly,
An scratch 'im wid a brier too.

Dere's many kind ob dese here tings,
From different sort ob insects springs;
Some hatch in June, and some July,
But August fotches de blue tail fly
——An scratch 'im wid a brier too.

When I was young I used to wait
On Massa's table an hand de plate;
I'de pass de bottle when he dry,
And brush away de blue tail fly,
——And scratch 'im wid a brier too.

Den arter dinner massa sleep,
He bid me vigilance to keep;
An when he gwine to shut he eye,
He tell me watch de blue tail fly,
——And scratch 'im wid a brier too.

When he ride in de arternoon,
I foller wid a hickory broom;
De poney being berry shy,
When bitten by de blue tail fly,
——And scratch 'im wid a brier too.

One day he rode aroun de farm,
De flies so numerous did swarm;
One chance to bite 'im on de thigh,
De debble take dat blue tail fly,
——And scratch 'im wid a brier too.

De poney run, he jump, an pitch,
An tumble massa in de ditch;
He died, an de Jury wonder why,
De verdict was de “blue tail fly,”
——And scratch 'im wid a brier too.

Dey laid 'im under a simmon tree,
His epitaph am dar to see;
Beneath dis stone I'm forced to lie,
All by de means ob de blue tail fly,
——And scratch 'im wid a brier too.

Ole Massa's gone, now let him rest,
Dey say all tings am for de best;
I neber shall forget till de day I die,
Ole Massa an de blue tail fly,
——And scratch 'im wid a brier too.

De hornet gets in your eyes an nose,
De 'skeeter bites y'e through your close,
De galinipper sweeten high,
But wusser yet de blue tail fly,
——And scratch 'im wid a brier too.