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Paul Laurence Dunbar

Paul Laurence Dunbar Books

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Selected poems

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“A crust of bread and a corner to sleep in, A minute to smile and an hour to weep in, A pint of joy to a peck of trouble, And never a laugh but the moans come double; And that is life! A crust and a corner that love makes precious, With a smile to warm and the tears to refresh us; And joy seems sweeter when cares come after, And a moan is the finest of foils for laughter; And that is life!”

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Book:THE COMPLETE POEMS OF PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR
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“I know why the caged bird sings, ah me, When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,- When he beats his bars and would be free; It is not a carol of joy or glee, But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core, But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings- I know why the caged bird sings!”

KnowsHeartWould BeJoyHeavenPrayerBeatsBirdWingsCoreBarsBosomsFlingGleeBruisedCarolsCagedCaged BirdsI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
Book:Selected poems
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“We wear the mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,- - This debt we pay to human guile; With torn and bleeding hearts we smile And mouth with myriad subtleties. Why should the world be otherwise, In counting all our tears and sighs? Nay, let them only see thus, while We wear the mask. We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries To thee from tortured souls arise. We sing, but oh the clay is vile Beneath our feet, and long the mile; But let the world dream otherwise, We wear the mask!”

WorldShouldHumansHeartLongSoulDreamEyeLyingChristPayFeetCryTearsMouthsDebtMilesAriseTheeMaskShadeCheeksTornSighClayCountingBleedingSubtletyGuileBleeding HeartWearing A MaskTortured Souls
Book:Selected poems
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“A crust of bread and a corner to sleep in. A minute to smile and an hour to weep in. A pint of joy to a peck of trouble, And never a laugh but the moans come double. And that is life. A crust and a corner that makes love precious, With a smile to warm and tears to refresh us, And joy seems sweeter when cares come after, And a moan is the finest of foils for laughter. And that is life.”

SeemsCareJoyHoursSleepLaughingTroubleMinutesTearsLaughterCornersWarmBreadMaking LoveFinestPintsFoils
Book:The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar
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“What Joe Hamilton lacked more than anything else in the world was some one to kick him. Many a man who might have lived decently and become a fairly respectable citizen has gone to the dogs for the want of some one to administer a good resounding kick at the right time. It is corrective and clarifying.”

MenWorldWantMightGoneDogCitizensKicksRight TimeRespectableHamiltonClarifying
Book:Delphi Complete Works of Paul Laurence Dunbar (Illustrated)
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