Mah ruddah's brokin, an' mah sail
Wen' ovah bode, in las' night's gale;
Mah bunkah's empty, steam am low,
Ise driftin' wid de undah tow.

Mah neighbah's bark goes skippin' by,
Wid breeze fat sail, 'near clear blue sky;
Seems lak de bes' ob bes' am his,
W'ile mine is all de wust whut is.

But mebbe sumthin', I cain't see,
Maiks mah neighbah envy me:
Purhaps I w'u'd hab differn views
Ef I wuz stan'in' in his shoes.

So, 'ste'd ob grumblin' 'bout mah lot,
I'll do mah bes' wid whut I got;
Kaze He doan ast dat eny man
Do bettah dan de bes' he can.