Friday, August 12, 2016

POETRY FRIDAY: "In Summer Time" by Paul Laurence Dunbar


We have had a lovely summer up here in my neck of the woods...until now. A humid heat wave has recently hit us...and I hate that type of weather!

Today, I'm posting a poem that speaks to the joys and pleasantness of the hottest season of the year.



IN SUMMER TIME
By Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)
NOTE: The following poem is in the public domain.


When summer time has come, and all
The world is in the magic thrall
Of perfumed airs that lull each sense
To fits of drowsy indolence;
When skies are deepest blue above,
And flow’rs aflush,—then most I love
To start, while early dews are damp,
And wend my way in woodland tramp
Where forests rustle, tree on tree,
And sing their silent songs to me;
Where pathways meet and pathways part,—
To walk with Nature heart by heart,
Till wearied out at last I lie
Where some sweet stream steals singing by
A mossy bank; where violets vie
In color with the summer sky,—
Or take my rod and line and hook,
And wander to some darkling brook,
Where all day long the willows dream,
And idly droop to kiss the stream,
And there to loll from morn till night—
Unheeding nibble, run, or bite—
Just for the joy of being there
And drinking in the summer air,
The summer sounds, and summer sights,
That set a restless mind to rights
When grief and pain and raging doubt
Of men and creeds have worn it out;
The birds’ song and the water’s drone,
The humming bee’s low monotone,
The murmur of the passing breeze,
And all the sounds akin to these,
That make a man in summer time
Feel only fit for rest and rhyme.
Joy springs all radiant in my breast;
Though pauper poor, than king more blest,
The tide beats in my soul so strong
That happiness breaks forth in song,
And rings aloud the welkin blue
With all the songs I ever knew.
O time of rapture! time of song!
How swiftly glide thy days along
Adown the current of the years,
Above the rocks of grief and tears!
‘Tis wealth enough of joy for me
In summer time to simply be.

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About Paul Laurence Dunbar
(From the Academy of American Poets)

Born on June 27, 1872, Paul Laurence Dunbar was one of the first African-American poets to gain national recognition. His parents Joshua and Matilda Murphy Dunbar were freed slaves from Kentucky. His parents separated shortly after his birth, but Dunbar would draw on their stories of plantation life throughout his writing career. By the age of fourteen, Dunbar had poems published in the Dayton Herald. While in high school he edited the Dayton Tattler, a short-lived black newspaper published by classmate Orville Wright.


Click here to read more about Paul Laurence Dunbar.

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Julianne has the Poetry Friday Roundup at To Read To Write To Be.







 

7 comments:

Julieanne said...

Summer allows for so much observation and celebration. Here's to the best of the season. Hope things cool off soon.

Brenda at FriendlyFairyTales said...

Beautiful poem, and I like the short bio, too.

mbhmaine said...

What a lovely homage to the joys of summer! This has been a hot one though!!!

Whispers from the Ridge said...

Yes, we can even find the joy in the brutal heat! Thanks for sharing the poem and the bio,Elaine.

Sally Murphy said...

Have always loved this poem, especially lines like these:
Where all day long the willows dream,
And idly droop to kiss the stream,

Ruth said...

Lovely!

Donna Smith said...

Isn't that a gorgeous poem?
Loved:
"‘Tis wealth enough of joy for me
In summer time to simply be".
Thanks for sharing!