Poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar

Song of Summer

  Dis is gospel weathah sho'--
    Hills is sawt o' hazy.
  Meddahs level ez a flo'
    Callin' to de lazy.
  Sky all white wif streaks o' blue,
    Sunshine softly gleamin',
  D'ain't no wuk hit's right to do,
    Nothin' 's right but dreamin'.

  Dreamin' by de rivah side
    Wif de watahs glist'nin',
  Feelin' good an' satisfied
    Ez you lay a-list'nin'
  To the little nakid boys
    Splashin' in de watah,
  Hollerin' fu' to spress deir joys
    Jes' lak youngsters ought to.

  Squir'l a-tippin' on his toes,
    So 's to hide an' view you;
  Whole flocks o' camp-meetin' crows
    Shoutin' hallelujah.
  Peckahwood erpon de tree
    Tappin' lak a hammah;
  Jaybird chattin' wif a bee,
    Tryin' to teach him grammah.

  Breeze is blowin' wif perfume,
    Jes' enough to tease you;
  Hollyhocks is all in bloom,
    Smellin' fu' to please you.
  Go 'way, folks, an' let me 'lone,
    Times is gettin' dearah--
  Summah's settin' on de th'one,
    An' I 'm a-layin' neah huh!

1. Ode to Ethiopia
2. Not They Who Soar
3. An Ante-Bellum Sermon
4. Retort
5. Frederick Douglass

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