De warters keeps er-risin' an' er-risin' on de bank,
De lebies keeps er breakin' an' de plows am en de wet,
De niggers all vamousin' ter de dry lan' ever'whar',
But dis nigger hain't er gwine ter leab de ole plantation yet.

De young uns all kin make new homes an' prosper anywhar',
An' 'buse de lan' dat borned 'em w'en dey moves out fum de State,
But de years is w'arin' on me, an' dar's sumpen I cain't tote,
Hid upon de ole plantation here, an' here I gwine ter wait.

All night I hears de paddles an' er sumpen en de a'r, —
Hit mout be dem er screekin', an' hit mout be hearts dat cry,
Hearts dat 's leabin' sumpen we cain't leab, ole Tiger, him an' me;
But hit 's lonesome on de housetop wid de barges floatin' by.

Ole Tige he scrope de roof an' dream he diggin' en de dirt,
All night I dribes ole Jinny an' I plows hard en my sleep,
Ole Dominick he crow an' stretch 'is ragged, tired wing,
But dar 's nuffin yere but warter, an' hit gittin' mighty deep.

Nary mawkin'-bird ter call me, nary bluebird, nary thrush.
De crow he gwine er-sighin' fur de sproutin' corn ter eat,
An' dat peckerwood dat nailin' on dat naked, lonesome limb,
Hatter fly ercross de warter fur ter dry 'is drippin' feet.

Er leetle screecher kim las' night an' holler fru de waste,
Hit make me mighty scrumptious, an' I pray dat he mout fly,
But he w'ar de darkness inter light, de light inter de day —
Dar 's someun gwine er-weepin' an' dar 's someun gwine ter die.
I hain't got long ter tarry, an' I hain't got fur ter go,
I feels I better stay yere wid de ole home en de wet;
All I got ter hol' me ter de yeth am buried en de flow,
Dis nigger hain't er gwine ter leab de ole plantation yet.

Some day de warters fall 'n leab ole Jasper high an' dry,
Some day he fin' de leetle grabes whar all his treasures lie;
But now he wait wid Tiger, on de roof, widout er sigh,
As he lis'en ter de splashin' er de barges floatin' by.