Homesick Blues

De Railroad bridge’s 
A sad song in de air. 
De railroad bridge’s 
A sad song in de air. 
Every time de trains pass 
I wants to go somewhere. 

I went down to de station.

Ma heart was in ma mouth.
Went down to da station.
Heart was in ma mouth. 
Lookin’ for a box car
To roll me to de South. 

Homesick blues, Lawd, 
’S a terrible thing to have. 
Homesick blues is 
A terrible thing to have. 
To keep from cryin’
I opens my mouth an’ laughs. 

From Caroling Dusk (Harper & Brothers, 1927), edited by Countee Cullen. This poem is in the public domain.