I d’no y’ hîf̣lutin wrdz, bt hir’z ɖ we it sīmz
Ẃn I’m pīcin ǎt ɖ windr o’ mî litl Hǎs o’ Drīmz;
I’v bn lŭcin rǎn ɖs big ol’ wrld, az bizi az a hîv,
N I wont t’ tel y’, nebr mîn, it’s gd t’ b alîv.
I’v bn setin hir, aʈncin hard, n se, it sīmz t’ m
Ɖt ɖs big ol’ wrld z jest abt az gd az it cin b,
Wɖ its starvin litl bebiz, n its batlz, n its strîcs,
N its prof̣tirz, n hold-up men—ɖ dogón litl tîcs!
N its hungri men ɖt fòt f’ s, ɖt nbdi implôz.
N I ʈnc, “Ẃ, śucs, w’r jest a lot o’ groun-up litl bôz!”
N I setl bac, n lît mî pîp, n rīć f’ Muɖr’z hand,
N I wd’nt swop mî pīs o’ mînd f’ nuʈin in ɖ land;
F’ ɖs wrld v ǎrz, ɖt jest wz md f’ focs lîc m n y
Z a prdi gd ol’ ples t’ liv—se, nebr, e’nt it tru?