Poor Rosy

I was doing some research/reading Sunday afternoon and came across this account in a letter:

One woman - a respectable house-servant, who had lost all but one of her twenty-two children - said to me: "Pahaw! don't har to dese yer chil'en, misse. Dey just rattles it off, -dey don't know how for sing it. I likes "Poor Rosy" better dan all de songs, but can't be sung widout a full heart and a troubled sperrit!"

 Being the curious soul that I am, I had to see if I could find the words to the song...I love Google!

1.      Poor Rosy, poor gal,

Poor Rosy, poor gal,

Rosy break my poor heart,

          Heav’n shall-a be my home,

I cannot stay in hell one day,

          Heav’n shall-a be my home,

I’ll sing and pray my soul a-way,

          Heav’n shall-a be my home.

2.     Got hard trial in my way,

Got hard trial in my way,

Got hard trial in my way,

          Heav’n shall-a be my home.

O when I talk, I talk wid God,

          Heav’n shall-a be my home.

O when I talk, I talk wid God,

          Heav’n shall-a be my home.

3.     I dunno what de people want of me,

I dunno what de people want of me,

I dunno what de people want of me

          Heav’n shall-a be my home.

I dunno what de people want of me

          Heav’n shall-a be my home.

I dunno what de people want of me

          Heav’n shall-a be my home.