Hello, my name is Finn, and I'm going to help you understand this book.
Here it is, explained like you are 10:
Dunbar was the son of people who had been slaves, and he became the first famous Black poet in America. He wrote funny, warm poems in the voices of his neighbors, and serious poems in grand English too, about hope, faith, and being shut out. One of his poems gave the famous line about why the caged bird sings. He died young, and this book is all of him.
Dunbar's rise was rapid and brief. A Dayton elevator operator whose parents had been enslaved in Kentucky, he published his first book at twenty-one, was taken up by the dean of American letters, William Dean Howells (whose introduction to Lyrics of Lowly Life opens this volume, as it opened Dunbar's fame), and within a few years was giving readings across America and in London. Tuberculosis killed him at thirty-three.
The fame rested on his dialect poems, verses in the Black speech of the South as white magazines then demanded them: When Malindy Sings, An Ante-Bellum Serenade, Little Brown Baby. They are virtuoso work, warm and musical, and Dunbar chafed that the public would not look past them to the standard English poems he prized: the sonnets, the odes, Sympathy, We Wear the Mask. This complete volume lets you judge the whole man.
Our edition draws on the 1922 Dodd, Mead printing of the collected poems and keeps each poem's dedication or subtitle line where Dunbar printed one, as its first paragraph. Read across the four Lyrics collections and watch a major American poet work in two languages at once, and mean it in both.
Paul Laurence Dunbar was the son of formerly enslaved parents and the first Black American poet to win a national audience. This volume gathers all his books: dialect poems that made him famous, like When Malindy Sings, and the standard English lyrics he cared about most, like Sympathy, the poem behind the line 'I know why the caged bird sings.' He died at thirty-three, and these poems are the whole of what he left.
The first chapter
ABSENCE 93
ACCOUNTABILITY 5
ADVICE 250
AFTER A VISIT 42
AFTER MANY DAYS 267
AFTER THE QUARREL 40
AFTER WHILE 53
ALEXANDER CRUMMELL--DEAD 113
ALICE 40
ANCHORED 256
ANGELINA 138
ANTE-BELLUM SERMON, AN 13
APPRECIATION 247
AT CANDLE-LIGHTIN' TIME 155
AT CHESHIRE CHEESE 129
AT LOAFING-HOLT 263
AT NIGHT 254
AT SUNSET TIME 263
AT THE TAVERN 226
AWAKENING, THE 252
BACK-LOG SONG, A 143
BALLAD 58
BALLADE 204
BANJO SONG, A 20
BARRIER, THE 99
BEHIND THE ARRAS 94
BEIN' BACK HOME 259
BEYOND THE YEARS 41
BLACK SAMSON OF BRANDYWINE 205
BLUE 253
BOHEMIAN, THE 92
BOOGAH MAN, THE 185
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON 209
BORDER BALLAD, A 48
BOYS' SUMMER SONG, A 235
BREAKING THE CHARM 149
BRIDAL MEASURE, A 97
BY RUGGED WAYS 215
BY THE STREAM 50
CABIN TALE, A 153
CAPTURE, THE 275
CAREER, A 285
CHANGE HAS COME, THE 58
CHANGE, THE 258
CHANGING TIME 72
CHASE, THE 258
CHOICE, A 125
CHRISTMUS IS A-COMIN' 153
CHRISTMAS ON THE PLANTATION 137
CHRISTMAS 269
CHRISTMAS CAROL 278
CHRISTMAS FOLKSONG, A 236
CHRISTMAS IN THE HEART 105
CIRCUMSTANCES ALTER CASES 261
COLORED BAND, THE 178
COLORED SOLDIERS, THE 50
COLUMBIAN ODE 47
COMMUNION 110
COMPARISON 59
COMPENSATION 256
CONFESSIONAL 116
CONFIDENCE, A 73
CONQUERORS, THE 112
CONSCIENCE AND REMORSE 31
COQUETTE CONQUERED, A 62
CORN-SONG, A 59
CORN-STALK FIDDLE, THE 16
CRISIS, THE 111
CURIOSITY 241
CURTAIN 42
DANCE, THE 170
DAT OL' MARE O' MINE 189
DAWN 65
DAY 248
DEACON JONES' GRIEVANCE 39
DEAD 73
DEATH 227
DEATH OF THE FIRST BORN, THE 258
DEATH SONG, A 142
DEBT, THE 213
DE CRITTERS' DANCE 181
DELINQUENT, THE 64
DELY 148
DESERTED PLANTATION, THE 67
DESPAIR 261
DE WAY T'INGS COME 225
DIFFERENCES 192
DILETTANTE, THE: A MODERN TYPE 49
DINAH KNEADING DOUGH 188
DIPLOMACY 238
DIRGE 66
DIRGE FOR A SOLDIER 199
DISAPPOINTED 60
DISCOVERED 60
DISCOVERY, THE 251
DISTINCTION 114
DISTURBER, THE 131
DOUGLASS 208
DOVE, THE 167
DREAM SONG I 104
DREAM SONG II 104
DREAMER, THE 100
DREAMIN' TOWN 254
DREAMS 100
DREAMS 166
DRIZZLE 180
DROWSY DAY, A 65
EASY-GOIN' FELLER, AN 49
ENCOURAGED 238
ENCOURAGEMENT 184
END OF THE CHAPTER, THE 101
EQUIPMENT 276
ERE SLEEP COMES DOWN TO SOOTHE THE WEARY EYES 3
EVENING 276
EXPECTATION 131
FAITH 244
FAREWELL TO ARCADY 123
FARM CHILD'S LULLABY, THE 245
FISHER CHILD'S LULLABY, THE 244
FISHING 172
FLORIDA NIGHT, A 191
FOOLIN' WID DE SEASONS 139
FOR THE MAN WHO FAILS 118
FOREST GREETING, THE 237
FOREVER 240
FOUNT OF TEARS, THE 224
FREDERICK DOUGLASS 6
FROLIC, A 200
FROM THE PORCH AT RUNNYMEDE 275
GARRET, THE 96
GOLDEN DAY, A 251
GOOD-NIGHT 61
GOURD, THE 107
GRIEVANCE, A 188
GROWIN' GRAY 80
HARRIET BEECHER STOWE 119
HAUNTED OAK, THE 219
HE HAD HIS DREAM 61
HER THOUGHT AND HIS 93
HOPE 247
HOW LUCY BACKSLID 158
HOW SHALL I WOO THEE 289
"HOWDY, HONEY, HOWDY!" 196
HUNTING SONG 150
HYMN 66
HYMN 133
HYMN, A 98
IF 75
IONE 31
IN AN ENGLISH GARDEN 111
IN AUGUST 130
IN MAY 166
IN SUMMER 91
IN SUMMER TIME 280
IN THE MORNING 190
IN THE TENDS OF AKBAR 223
INSPIRATION 179
INVITATION TO LOVE 61
ITCHING HEELS 222
JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY 287
JEALOUS 145
JILTED 136
JOGGIN' ERLONG 165
JOHNNY SPEAKS 235
JUST WHISTLE A BIT 98
KEEP A-PLUGGIN' AWAY 46
KEEP A SONG UP ON DE WAY 169
KIDNAPED 255
KING IS DEAD, THE 105
KNIGHT, THE 108
LAPSE, THE 122
LAWYERS' WAYS, THE 22
LAZY DAY, THE 249
LESSON, THE 8
LETTER, A 151
LIFE 8
LIFE'S TRAGEDY 225
LI'L' GAL 207
LILY OF THE VALLEY, THE 237
LIMITATIONS 250
LINCOLN 184
LITTLE BROWN BABY 134
LITTLE CHRISTMAS BASKET, A 174
LITTLE LUCY LANDMAN 107
LIZA MAY 267
LONESOME 79
LONG AGO 192
'LONG TO'DS NIGHT 187
LONGING 21
LOOKING-GLASS, THE 206
LOST DREAM, A 270
LOVE 103
LOVE AND GRIEF 102
LOVE DESPOILED 122
LOVE LETTER, A 266
LOVE-SONG 210
LOVE SONG, A 222
LOVER AND THE MOON, THE 29
LOVER'S LANE 132
LOVE'S APOTHEOSIS 89
LOVE'S CASTLE 201
LOVE'S DRAFT 252
LOVE'S HUMILITY 106
LOVE'S PHASES 117
LOVE'S PICTURES 282
LOVE'S SEASONS 215
LULLABY 144
LYRIC, A 288
MADRIGAL, A 287
MARE RUBRUM 110
MASTER-PLAYER THE 17
MASTERS, THE 258
MEADOW LARK, THE 71
MELANCHOLIA 54
MEMORY OF MARTHA, THE 194
MERRY AUTUMN 56
MISTY DAY, A 207
MISAPPREHENSION 117
MONK'S WALK, THE 209
MORNING 252
MORNING SONG OF LOVE 202
MORTALITY 103
MY CORN-COB PIPE 129
MY LADY OF CASTLE GRAND 180
MY LITTLE MARCH GIRL 120
MY SORT O' MAN 140
MY SWEET BROWN GAL 176
MYSTERY, THE 17
MYSTIC SEA, THE 91
MURDERED LOVER, THE 211
MUSICAL, A 253
NATURE AND ART 52
NEGRO LOVE SONG, A 49
NEWS, THE 136
NIGHT 263
NIGHT, DIM NIGHT 227
NIGHT OF LOVE 46
NODDIN' BY DE FIRE 201
NOON 226
NORA: A SERENADE 62
NOT THEY WHO SOAR 18
NUTTING SONG 282
OCTOBER 63
ODE FOR MEMORIAL DAY 22
ODE TO ETHIOPIA 15
OLD APPLE-TREE, THE 10
OLD CABIN, THE 260
OLD FRONT GATE, THE 199
OLD HOMESTEAD, THE 283
OLD MEMORY, AN 284
OL' TUNES, THE 53
ON A CLEAN BOOK 203
ON THE DEATH OF W. C. 284
ON THE DEDICATION OF DOROTHY HALL 214
ON THE RIVER 285
ON THE ROAD 142
ON THE SEA WALL 115
ONE LIFE 72
OPPORTUNITY 242
OVER THE HILLS 90
PARADOX, THE 89
PARTED 240
PARTED 145
PARTY, THE 83
PASSION AND LOVE 11
PATH, THE 21
PHANTOM KISS, THE 109
PHILOSOPHY 212
PHOTOGRAPH, THE 144
PHYLLIS 74
PLACE WHERE THE RAINBOW ENDS, THE 246
PLANTATION CHILD'S LULLABY, THE 241
PLANTATION PORTRAIT, A 173
PLANTATION MELODY, A 193
PLEA, A 167
POET AND HIS SONG, THE 4
POET AND THE BABY, THE 114
POET, THE 191
POOL, THE 198
POOR WITHERED ROSE 286
POSSESSION 198
POSSUM 141
POSSUM TROT 147
PRAYER, A 14
PRECEDENT 106
PREFERENCE A 213
PREMONITION 23
PREPARATION 67
PROMETHEUS 117
PROMISE 12
PROTEST 133
PUTTIN' THE BABY AWAY 243
QUILTING, THE 240
RAIN-SONGS 270
REAL QUESTION, THE 135
RELIGION 38
RELUCTANCE 203
REMEMBERED 121
RESIGNATION 106
RESPONSE 175
RETORT 5
RETROSPECTION 24
RIDING TO TOWN 70
RIGHT TO DIE, THE 94
RIGHT'S SECURITY 75
RISING OF THE STORM, THE 8
RIVALS, THE 27
RIVER OF RUIN, THE 265
ROADWAY, A 214
ROBERT GOULD SHAW 221
ROSES 221
ROSES AND PEARLS 270
SAILOR'S SONG, A 92
SAND-MAN, THE 235
SCAMP 239
SECRET, THE 68
SEEDLING, THE 12
SHE GAVE ME A ROSE 103
SHE TOLD HER BEADS 106
SHIPS THAT PASS IN THE NIGHT 64
SIGNS OF THE TIMES 77
SILENCE 186
SLOW THROUGH THE DARK 211
SNOWIN' 168
SOLILOQUY OF A TURKEY 171
SONG 13
SONG 178
SONG, A 248
SONG, A 271
SONG OF SUMMER 26
SONG, THE 76
SONNET 115
SPARROW, THE 78
SPEAKIN' AT DE' COU'THOUSE 205
SPEAKIN' O' CHRISTMAS 78
SPELLIN'-BEE, THE 42
SPIRITUAL, A 194
SPRING FEVER 176
SPRING SONG 26
SPRING WOOING, A 164
STARRY NIGHT, A 288
SUMMER NIGHT, A 262
STIRRUP CUP, THE 125
SUMMER PASTORAL, A 279
SUMMER'S NIGHT, A 64
SUM, THE 114
SUNSET 9
SUPPOSE 258
SYMPATHY 102
TEMPTATION 146
THANKSGIVING POEM, A 281
THEN AND NOW 129
THEOLOGY 106
THOU ART MY LUTE 109
TILL THE WIND GETS RIGHT 262
TIME TO TINKER 'ROUN'! 135
TO A CAPTIOUS CRITIC 189
TO A LADY PLAYING THE HARP 116
TO A DEAD FRIEND 216
TO A VIOLET FOUND ON ALL SAINTS' DAY 179
TO AN INGRATE 223
TO DAN 248
TO E. H. K. 97
TO HER 266
TO J. Q. 238
TO LOUISE 26
TO PFRIMMER 277
TO THE EASTERN SHORE 202
TO THE MEMORY OF MARY YOUNG 81
TO THE MIAMI 277
TO THE ROAD 163
TO THE SOUTH 216
TROUBLE IN DE KITCHEN 268
TRYST, THE 166
TURNING OF THE BABIES IN THE BED, THE 170
'TWELL DE NIGHT IS PAS' 253
TWILIGHT 241
TWO LITTLE BOOTS 163
TWO SONGS 19
UNEXPRESSED 25
UNLUCKY APPLE, THE 251
UNSUNG HEROES, THE 196
VAGRANTS 119
VALSE, THE 175
VENGEANCE IS SWEET 98
VETERAN, THE 256
VOICE OF THE BANJO, THE 124
VISITOR, THE 177
WADING' IN DE CREEK 239
WAITING 100
WARM DAY IN WINTER, A 168
WE WEAR THE MASK 71
WARRIOR'S PRAYER, THE 123
WELTSCHMERTZ 220
W'EN I GITS HOME 195
WHAT'S THE USE 249
WHEN A FELLER'S ITCHIN' TO BE SPANKED 264
WHEN ALL IS DONE 113
WHEN DE CO'N PONE'S HOT 57
WHEN DEY 'LISTED COLORED SOLDIERS 182
WHEN MALINDY SINGS 82
WHEN SAM'L SINGS 208
WHEN THE OLD MAN SMOKES 95
WHEN WINTER DARKENING ALL AROUND 275
WHIP-POOR-WILL AND KATY-DID 186
WHISTLING SAM 156
WHITTIER 18
WHY FADES A DREAM? 77
WIND AND THE SEA, THE 69
WINTER-SONG 236
WINTER'S APPROACH 256
WINTER'S DAY, A 120
WITH THE LARK 90
WOOING, THE 55
WORN OUT 286
WRAITH, THE 186
YESTERDAY AND TO-MORROW 257
Source: Project Gutenberg. Published 1913. Author died 1906. Public domain worldwide. Share this book: WhatsApp
Starvard