Poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar

Retort

  "Thou art a fool," said my head to my heart,
  "Indeed, the greatest of fools thou art,
    To be led astray by the trick of a tress,
  By a smiling face or a ribbon smart;"
    And my heart was in sore distress.

  Then Phyllis came by, and her face was fair,
  The light gleamed soft on her raven hair;
    And her lips were blooming a rosy red.
  Then my heart spoke out with a right bold air:
    "Thou art worse than a fool, O head!"

1. Song of Summer
2. Ere Sleep Comes down to Soothe the Weary Eyes
3. Premonition
4. Not They Who Soar
5. Song (My heart to thy heart)

Print

1693 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version