Paul Laurence Dunbar Poetry

[mimimari]

Recently picked up a book called: "The Complete Poems Of Paul Laurence Dunbar" at the used bookstore and seems to me he was a really great poet. Thought I would share with everyone.

His wikipedia page is here: _https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Laurence_Dunbar

His poems are in the public domain and available to view at: _http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/collections/1/the-complete-poems-of-paul-laurence-dunbar/

I think he has written many great poems. One of my favorites so far, is called "The Seedling" from his book: "Lyrics Of A Lowely Life" (1913)

As a quiet little seedling
Lay within its darksome bed,
To itself it fell a–talking,
And this is what it said:

“I am not so very robust,
But I ‘ll do the best I can;”
And the seedling from that moment
Its work of life began.

So it pushed a little leaflet
Up into the light of day,
To examine the surroundings
And show the rest the way.

The leaflet liked the prospect,
So it called its brother, Stem;
Then two other leaflets heard it,
And quickly followed them.

To be sure, the haste and hurry
Made the seedling sweat and pant;
But almost before it knew it
It found itself a plant.

The sunshine poured upon it,
And the clouds they gave a shower;
And the little plant kept growing
Till it found itself a flower.

Little folks, be like the seedling,
Always do the best you can;
Every child must share life’s labor
Just as well as every man.

And the sun and showers will help you
Through the lonesome, struggling hours,
Till you raise to light and beauty
Virtue’s fair, unfading flowers.

I am excited to learn about poetry and find new poets to check out!
Thanks for reading.

 

[PhoenixToEmber]

Beautiful verse.

I've heard of Dunbar before but never read anything by him. I'm inspired to explore his work now. Thank you for sharing this. :)

 

[mimimari]

Beautiful verse.

I've heard of Dunbar before but never read anything by him. I'm inspired to explore his work now. Thank you for sharing this. :)

No problem PhoenixToEmber. I kinda just stumbled upon him by doing a google search and following links.

Here is another poem that I think is fantastic! It is also from his books "Lyrics Of A Lowely Life":

The Lawyer's Way

I ‘ve been list’nin’ to them lawyers
In the court house up the street,
An’ I ‘ve come to the conclusion
That I’m most completely beat.
Fust one feller riz to argy,
An’ he boldly waded in
As he dressed the tremblin’ pris’ner
In a coat o’ deep–dyed sin.

Why, he painted him all over
In a hue o’ blackest crime,
An’ he smeared his reputation
With the thickest kind o’
grime,
Tell I found myself a–wond’rin’,
In a misty way and dim,
How the Lord had come to fashion
Sich an awful man as him.

Then the other lawyer started,
An’ with brimmin’, tearful
eyes,
Said his client was a martyr
That was brought to sacrifice.
An’ he give to that same pris’ner
Every blessed human grace,
Tell I saw the light o’ virtue
Fairly shinin’ from his face.

Then I own ‘at I was puzzled
How sich things could rightly
be;
An’ this aggervatin’ question
Seems to keep a–puzzlin’ me.
So, will some one please inform
me,
An’ this mystery unroll—
How an angel an’ a devil
Can persess the self–same soul?

Thanks for reading.