Cross Roads

LIL' FELLER

     When th.' sunshine's golden-yeller
        Like th' curls upon his head,
     Then he wakes—th' lil' feller—
        An' he jumps up, outen bed;
     An' he scrambles fer his knickers
        Flung, perhaps, upon th' floor,
     An' he takes his hat (my old 'un),
        An' he races through th' door—
     An' I hear his voice, a-singin',
        In his odd, ole-fashioned way,
     'Cause he's glad—th' lil' feller—
        In th' mornin' o' the day.

     Kinder makes me feel, well, lazy,
        So I hurry up, outside,
     Where th' mountains smile down, friendly—
        And th' earth looks sorter wide;
     An' I hear his voice a-callin',
        Sayin', "Daddy, come an' see!"
     An' I find him makin' gardens
        Where a rock pile uster be—
     An' I shout, "How goes it, sonny?"
        An' my heart feels light an' gay,
     Fer he's singin'—lil' feller—
        In th' mornin' o' th' day.

     Lil' feller, an' his gardens!
        It don't matter much ter him,
     If th' hoein's hard an' tedgious,
        An' th' crop he grows is slim;
     Fer he loves ter be a-workin',
        An' he loves ter see things start
     Outer nothin'.... There's a garden
        In th' rock-bed o' my heart
     That he's planted, just by singin'
        In his odd, ole-fashioned way—
     'Cause he's glad, MY LIL' FELLER,
        In th' mornin' o' th' day!