The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar · Paul Laurence Dunbar

A Summer Night

384 of 424 · 1 min of reading

Summah is de lovin' time--

Do' keer what you say.

Night is allus peart an' prime,

Bettah dan de day.

Do de day is sweet an' good,

Birds a-singin' fine,

Pines a-smellin' in de wood,--

But de night is mine.

Rivah whisperin' "howdy do,"

Ez it pass you by--

Moon a-lookin' down at you,

Winkin' on de sly.

Frogs a-croakin' f'om de pon',

Singin' bass dey fill,

An' you listen way beyon'

Ol' man whippo'will.

Hush up, honey, tek my han'

Mek yo' footsteps light;

Somep'n' kin' o' hol's de lan'

On a summah night.

Somep'n' dat you nevah sees

An' you nevah hyeahs,

But you feels it in de breeze,

Somep'n' nigh to teahs.

Somep'n' nigh to teahs? dat's so;

But hit's nigh to smiles.

An' you feels it ez you go

Down de shinin' miles.

Tek my han', my little dove;

Hush an' come erway--

Summah is de time fu' love,

Night-time beats de day!

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End of part 384 of 424