Say if you lub me, do tell me truly,
               Ione, Ione;
For, O me dearie, not’in’ can part we,
        Ione, Ione.   

Under de bamboo, where de fox-tail grew,
                 Ione, Ione,
While de cool breeze blew-sweet, I did pledge
you,
                 Ione, Ione.

Where calalu grows an’ yonder brook flows,
                  Ione, Ione,
I held a dog-rose under your li’l nose,
                   Ione, Ione.

There where de lee stream plays wid de sunbeam.
            Ione, Ione,
True be’n de love-gleam as a sweet day-dream,
            Ione, Ione.

Watchin’ de bucktoe under de shadow,
            Ione, Ione,
Of a pear-tree low dat in de stream grow,
            Ione, Ione,

Mek me t’ink how when we were lee children,
            Ione, Ione,
We used to fishen in old Carew Pen,
            Ione, Ione.
Like tiny meshes, curl your black tresses,
            Ione, Ione,

Kiss me, my airy winsome lee fairy,
            Ione, Ione;
Are you now weary, little canary,

Then we will go, pet, as it is sunset,
            Ione, Ione;
Tek dis sweet vi’let, we will be one yet,
            Ione, Ione.

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