Author: Paul Laurence Dunbar

This is the debt I pay Just for one riotous day, Years of regret and grief, Sorrow without relief. Pay […]

W’en daih’s chillun in de house, Dey keep on a-gittin’ tall; But de folks don’ seem to see Dat dey’s […]

Little brown baby wif spa’klin’ eyes, Come to yo’ pappy an’ set on his knee. What you been doin’, suh […]

Out in the sky the great dark clouds are massing; I look far out into the pregnant night, Where I […]

The Midnight wooed the Morning Star, And prayed her: “Love come nearer; Your swinging coldly there afar To me but […]

A lilt and a swing, And a ditty to sing, Or ever the night grow old; The wine is within, […]

Seen my lady home las’ night, Jump back, honey, jump back. Hel’ huh han’ an’ sque’z it tight, Jump back, […]

STEP me now a bridal measure, Work give way to love and leisure, Hearts be free and hearts be gay […]

G’way an’ quit dat noise, Miss Lucy Put dat music book away; What’s de use to keep on tryin’? Ef […]

They please me not these solemn songs That hint of sermons covered up. ‘T is true the world should heed […]

When a woman looks up at you with a twist about her eyes, And her brows are half uplifted in […]

Come to the pane, draw the curtain apart, There she is passing, the girl of my heart; See where she […]

Pray why are you so bare, so bare, Oh, bough of the old oak-tree; And why, when I go through […]

I’ve been list’nin’ to them lawyers In the court house up the street, An’ I’ve come to the conclusion That […]

A hush is over all the teeming lists, And there is pause, a breath-space in the strife; A spirit brave […]