Paul Laurence Dunbar Poems

Thou arrant robber, Death!
Couldst thou not find
Some lesser one than he
To rob of breath,--
...

THE draft of love was cool and sweet
You gave me in the cup,
But, ah, love's fire is keen and fleet,
...

In the silence of my heart,
I will spend an hour with thee,
When my love shall rend apart
All the veil of mystery:
...

I'VE always been a faithful man
An' tried to live for duty,
But the stringent mode of life
...

MY heart to thy heart,
My hand to thine;
My lips to thy lips,
Kisses are wine
...

Slow de night 's a-fallin',
An' I hyeah de callin,
Out erpon de lonesome hill;
Soun' is moughty dreary,
...

Come on walkin' wid me, Lucy; 't ain't no time to mope erroun'
Wen de sunshine 's shoutin' glory in de sky,
...

Mastah drink his ol' Made'a,
Missy drink huh sherry wine,
Ovahseah lak his whiskey,
...

It was Chrismus Eve, I mind hit fu' a mighty gloomy day--
Bofe de weathah an' de people--not a one of us was gay;
...

THE little bird sits in the nest and sings
A shy, soft song to the morning light;
And it flutters a little and prunes its wings.
...