A Cautionary Tale

I heard a voice of warning,

A message from on high:

"Go put your house in order,

For thou shalt surely die.

Bid all your friends a long farewell

And set your business right -

That little black train is rolling in

To call for you tonight."

A Bold young man kept mocking,

Cared not for the warning word,

When the wild and lonely whistle

Of the little black train he heard.

"Have mercy, Lord, forgive me!

I'm cut down in my sin!

O' Death, will'st thou not spare me?"

But that little black train rolled in.

Go tell that laughing lady

All filled with worldly pride,

That little black train is coming,

Get ready to take a ride.

With a little black coach and engine

And a little black baggage car,

The words and deeds she hath said and done,

Must roll to the Judgement bar.

O' see her standing helpless,

O' hear her shedding tears.

She's counting these last moments

As once she counted years.

She'd turn from proud and wicked ways,

She'd leave her sin, O' Lord!

If that little black train would just back up

And not take her aboard.

So mark ye now this story,

Don't mock and say "Not real!"

For 'tis a foolish young soul who steps aboard

When Death rides at the wheel.

So, I think that's original, but it has been lost in the depths of time. I wrote it down on a piece of letter paper a dozen years ago, and I see nothing that attributes it to anyone else. Maybe it's an original work, maybe not.