Heartless Rhoda

Kiss me, as you want it so; 
   Lub me, ef it wort’ de while; 
Yet I feel it an’ I know
Dat, as t’rough de wul’ you go, 
   You will oft look back an’ smile
At de t’ings which you now do. 

Tek me to de church te-day, 
   Call me wife as you go home; 
Hard fate, smilin’ at us, say 
Dat de whole is so-so play; 
   Soon de ushal en’ will come, 
An’ we both will choice our way. 

.      .     .     .     .     .      . 

Spare you’ breat’, me husban’ true, 
   I be’n marry you fe fun: 
Lub dat las’ long is a few, 
An’ I hadn’t much fe you. 
   I be’n tell you it would done, 
All whe’ come is wha’ you do. 

Life I only care to see
   In de way dat udders live; 
I experiment to be
All dat fate can mek o’ me: 
   Glad I tek all whe’ she give, 
For I’m hopin’ to be free. 

Credit

From Songs of Jamaica (Aston W. Gardner & Co., 1912) by Claude McKay. This poem is in the public domain.