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Lyrics of Love and Laughter

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

The Tryst

Additional Information
  • Year Published: 1913
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States of America
  • Source: Dunbar, P.L. (1913). The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar. New York: Dodd, Mead, and Company.
  • Readability:
    • Flesch–Kincaid Level: 6.5
  • Word Count: 277
  • Genre: Poetry
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De night creep down erlong de lan’,
De shadders rise an’ shake,
De frog is sta’tin’ up his ban’,
De cricket is awake;
My wo’k is mos’ nigh done, Celes’,
To–night I won’t be late,
I ’s hu’yin’ thoo my level bes’,
Wait fu’ me by de gate.

De mockin’–bird ‘ll sen’ his glee
A–thrillin’ thoo and thoo,
I know dat ol’ magnolia–tree
Is smellin’ des’ fu’ you;
De jessamine erside de road
Is bloomin’ rich an’ white,
My hea’t ’s a–th’obbin’ ‘cause it knowed
You ‘d wait fu’ me to–night.

Hit ’s lonesome, ain’t it, stan’in’ thaih
Wid no one nigh to talk?
But ain’t dey whispahs in de aih
Erlong de gyahden walk?
Don’t somep’n kin’ o’ call my name,
An’ say “he love you bes’”?
Hit ’s true, I wants to say de same,
So wait fu’ me, Celes’.

Sing somep’n fu’ to pass de time,
Outsing de mockin’–bird,
You got de music an’ de rhyme,
You beat him wid de word.
I ’s comin’ now, my wo’k is done,
De hour has come fu’ res’,
I wants to fly, but only run—
Wait fu’ me, deah Celes’.