Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

This is a collection of poetry by African American author Paul Laurence Dunbar. Dunbar's work frequently features a conversational tone, innovative rhetorical structure, and a colorful use of both dialect and mainstream English. Dunbar was among the first nationally successful African American writers.

Source: Dunbar, P.L. (1913). The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar. New York: Dodd, Mead, and Company.

A Boy's Summer Song: "‘Tis fine to play, In the fragrant hay,"
The Sand-Man: "I know a man, With face of tan,"
Johnny Speaks: "The sand–man he’s a jolly old fellow,"
Winter-Song: "Oh, who would be sad tho’ the sky be a–graying,"
A Christmas Folksong: "De win’ is blowin’ wahmah,"
The Forest Greeting: "Good hunting!—aye, good hunting,"
The Lily of the Valley: "Sweetest of the flowers a–blooming"
Encouraged: "Because you love me I have much achieved,"
To J.Q.: "What are the things that make life bright?"
Diplomacy: "Tell your love where the roses blow,"
Scamp: "Ain’t it nice to have a mammy"
Wadin' In De Crick: "Days git wa’m an’ wa’mah,"
The Quilting: "Dolly sits a–quilting by her mother, stich by stitch,"
Parted: "She wrapped her soul in a lace of lies,"
Forever: "I had not known before, Forever was so long a word."
The Plantation Child's Lullaby: "Wintah time hit comin’ Stealin’ thoo de night;"
Twilight: "‘Twixt a smile and a tear,"
Curiosity: "Mammy’s in de kitchen, an’ de do’ is shet;"
Opportunity: "Granny’s gone a–visitin’,"
Puttin' the Baby Away: "Eight of ‘em hyeah all tol’ an’ yet"
The Fisher Child's Lullaby: "The wind is out in its rage to–night,"
Faith: "I’s a–gittin’ weary of de way dat people do,"
The Farm Child's Lullaby: "Oh, the little bird is rocking in the cradle of the wind,"
The Place Where the Rainbow Ends: "There’s a fabulous story, Full of splendor and glory"
Hope: "De dog go howlin’ ‘long de road,"
Appreciation: "My muvver’s ist the nicest one"
A Song: "On a summer’s day as I sat by a stream,"
Day: "The gray dawn on the mountain top"
To Dan: "Step me now a bridal measure,"
What's the Use: "What’s the use o’ folks a–frownin’"
A Lazy Day: "The trees bend down along the stream,"
Advice: "W’en you full o’ worry"
Limitations: "Ef you’s only got de powah fe’ to blow a little whistle,"
A Golden Day: "I found you and I lost you,"
The Unlucky Apple: "‘Twas the apple that in Eden"
The Discovery: "These are the days of elfs and fays:"
Morning: "The mist has left the greening plain,"
The Awakening: "I did not know that life could be so sweet,"
Love's Draft: "The draft of love was cool and sweet"
A Musical: "Outside the rain upon the street,"
Twell De Night Is Pas: "All de night long twell de moon goes down,"
Blue: "Standin’ at de winder,"
Dreamin' Town: "Come away to dreamin’ town,"
At Night: "Whut time ‘d dat clock strike?"
Kidnaped: "I held my heart so far from harm,"
Compensation: "Because I had loved so deeply,"
Winter's Approach: "De sun hit shine an’ de win’ hit blow,"
Anchored: "If thro’ the sea of night which here surrounds me,"
The Veteran: "Underneath the autumn sky,"
Yesterday and Tomorrow: "Yesterday I held your hand,"
The Change: "Love used to carry a bow, you know,"
The Chase: "The wind told the little leaves to hurry,"
Suppose: "If ‘twere fair to suppose"
The Death of the First Born: "Cover him over with daisies white"
Bein' Back Home: "Home agin, an’ home to stay—"
The Old Cabin: "In de dead of night I sometimes,"
Despair: "Let me close the eyes of my soul"
Circumstances Alter Cases: "Tim Murphy’s gon’ walkin’ wid Maggie O’Neill,"
Till the Wind Gets Right: "Oh the breeze is blowin’ balmy"
A Summer Night: "Summah is de lovin’ time—"
At Sunset Time: "Adown the west a golden glow"
Night: "Silence, and whirling worlds afar"
At Loafing-Holt: "Since I left the city’s heat"
When a feller's Itchin' To Be Spanked: "W’en us fellers stomp around, makin’ lots o’ noise,"
The River of Ruin: "Along by the river of ruin"
To Her: "Your presence like a benison to me"
A Love Letter: "Oh, I des received a letter f’om de sweetest little gal;"
After Many Days: "I’ve always been a faithful man"
Liza May: "Little brown face full of smiles,"
The Masters: "Oh, who is the Lord of the land of life,"
Trouble In De Kitchen: "Dey was oncet a awful quoil ‘twixt de skillet an’ de pot;"
Christmas: "Step wid de banjo an’ glide wid de fiddle,"
Roses and Pearls: "Your spoken words are roses fine and sweet,"
Rain-Songs: "The rain streams down like harp–strings from the sky;"
A Lost Dream: "Ah, I have changed, I do not know"
A Song: "Thou art the soul of a summer’s day,"

Year Published: 1913

Language: English

Country of Origin: United States of America

Readability:

Flesch–Kincaid Level: 6.5

Word Count: 13,465

Genre: Poetry

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