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OAK BLUFF PLANTATION
It was built along a river bank
upon a high green cliff
and you could see white columns sparkling
when morning dew began to lift
It sat proudly there beneath the trees
three stories high or more
and our family tells the story
it was built in eighteen twenty four
My great great grand pa built it
it was built of wood and stone
he had built it for his brand new bride
to be their happy home
my great grand pa was born there
in a big four poster bed
on a cold and raining morning
that's what my grand ma said
If this old house could speak to you
the stories it could tell
of the birth's and deaths and weddings
and other happenings as well
it could tell you of vast cotton fields
and the rice and corn and hemp
and the wagon loads they took down to the docks
to be loaded on to ships
it could tell you of a murder
of a slave down in the woods
he had stolen from his neighbor
and had been caught there with the goods
It could tell you of church meetings
where every body loved to sing
as they sat upon the wooden benches
in the beauty of the spring
It could tell you of the wedding
of great aunt Jane and uncle Des
it could speak of fiddle music
and a white home made wedding dress
and the crystal on the sideboard
and the sparkling chandeliers
and all the family heirlooms
that had been handed down for years
Oh how sweet the scent of jasmine
and magmolias pure and white
when azalias all were blooming
down the lane and out of sight
all the happiness and laughter
when every thing was going fine
the barbecues, and the taffy pulls
and the sparkling orange wine
When the men sat on the old front porch
discussing crops and war
and the ladies all read poems and sewed
why you couldn't ask for more
when the fields were full of home grown food
and the butchering was all done
and the fruits had all been gathered in
well then, t'was time for fun
for cotillions and slow minuets
and dancing in the breeze
and romance and stolen kisses
out underneath the trees
with handsome gallant suiters
and giggling flirting girls
who hid behind their fancy fans
and kept full skirts a whirl
It could tell of Southern soldiers hiding
out behind the shed
and great grand ma hiding gold and silver
in grand pa's feather bed
for the yankees were all coming
you could see them up the road
they were riding past the corn crib
where grand ma's china had been stored
All the good food that was cooked there
in abundance all day long
and the many toasts to home and health
and where happiness was like one sweet eternal song
and the singing of the darkies
when in the eveing time they'ed start
and old songs like "Darling Nellie Grey"
would always bring a tear
and almost break your heart
There was good fishing in the river
and the boys had so much fun
they'ed come a laughing and a bragging
about who'd caught the biggest one
and on the cold and windy afternoons
when the winds would rattle all the glass
in the windows and the turrets
as it blew on down the pass
Oh then the fire placess felt so good
with pine logs burning hot
and they'ed sit and sip mint julips in their own and favorite spot
and those treasures in the attic
spinning wheels, old trunks and stuff
and when you went up there to look around
you could never see enough
I read all this in grand ma's diary
she had written it just right
how the horses had all run away
on a bright and moon light night
where fat cattle all were grazing
in a pasture lush and green
and the sheep all were munching
over very near the stream
Oh if I could live a day back then
how happy I would be
just to walk the halls of memory
with all my family
Oh it was built along a river bank
upon a high and craigy cliff
and you could see it's red and slated roof
when morning dews began to lift
