Paul Laurence Dunbar Quotes

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  • With our short sight we affect to take a comprehensive view of eternity. Our horizon is the universe.

    Sight   Views   Horizon  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar (2009). “The Uncalled (EasyRead Large Edition)”, p.113, ReadHowYouWant.com
  • Slight was the thing I bought, small was the debt I thought, Poor was the loan at best - God! but the interest!

    Debt   Poor   Best God  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar, Joanne M. Braxton (1993). “The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar”, p.213, University of Virginia Press
  • Taking it all in all and after all, negro life in Washington is a promise rather than a fulfillment. But it is worthy of note for the really excellent things which are promised

    Paul Laurence Dunbar (2010). “The Sport of the Gods: and Other Essential Writings”, p.383, Modern Library
  • A song fluttered down in the form of a dove, And it bore me a message, the one word-Love!

    Life   Song   Messages  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar, Joanne M. Braxton (1993). “The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar”, p.167, University of Virginia Press
  • ..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.

    Smile   Lying   Eye  
    1895 'We Wear the Mask', stanza 1.
  • Only the rich are lonesome.

    Rich   Lonesome  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar (2013). “The Sport of the Gods”, p.69, Courier Corporation
  • 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!

    Dream   Lying   Heart  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar (2004). “Selected Poems”, p.85, Penguin
  • We wear the mask that grins and lies.

    "We Wear the Mask" l. 1, 14 (1895)
  • Washington is the city where the big men of little towns come to be disillusioned

    Men   Cities   Littles  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar (2010). “The Sport of the Gods: and Other Essential Writings”, p.378, Modern Library
  • It's all a farce, - these tales they tell About the breezes sighing, And moans astir o'er field and dell, Because the year is dying.

    Years   Dying   Farce  
    PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR (1913). “THE COMPLETE POEMS OF PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR”, p.94, Lulu.com
  • I know what the caged bird feels, alas!

    Bird   Feels   Alas  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar (2012). “Selected Poems”, p.28, Courier Corporation
  • 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.

    Paul Laurence Dunbar, Joanne M. Braxton (1993). “The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar”, p.8, University of Virginia Press
  • You are sweet, O Love, dear Love,You are soft as the nesting dove.Come to my heart and bring it restAs the bird flies home to its welcome nest.

    Sweet   Love You   Home  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar, “Invitation To Love”
  • 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.

    Dog   Men   Citizens  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar (2017). “Delphi Complete Works of Paul Laurence Dunbar (Illustrated)”, p.992, Delphi Classics
  • This, this indeed is to be accursed, For if we mortals love, or if we sing, We count our joys not by what we have, But by what kept us from that perfect thing.

    Perfect   Joy   Ifs  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar, “Life's Tragedy”
  • Oh, how with more than dreams the soul is torn, ere sleep comes down to soothe the weary eyes.

    Dream   Sleep   Eye  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar (2004). “Selected Poems”, p.62, Penguin
  • 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!

    Prayer   Heart   Wings  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar (2012). “Selected Poems”, p.28, Courier Corporation
  • Money is a great dignifier.

    Money  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar, Gene Andrew Jarrett, Thomas Lewis Morgan (2005). “The Complete Stories of Paul Laurence Dunbar”, p.24, Ohio University Press
  • 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!

    Smile   Laughing   Joy  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar, Joanne M. Braxton (1993). “The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar”, p.8, University of Virginia Press
  • Hope is tenacious. It goes on living and working when science has dealt it what should be its deathblow.

    Hope   Goes On   Should  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar, Gene Andrew Jarrett, Thomas Lewis Morgan (2005). “The Complete Stories of Paul Laurence Dunbar”, p.182, Ohio University Press
  • Poor conceited humanity! Interpreters of God indeed.

    Paul Laurence Dunbar (2009). “The Uncalled (EasyRead Large Edition)”, p.113, ReadHowYouWant.com
  • The age is materialistic. Verse isn't. I must be with the age, so I am writing prose.

    Paul Laurence Dunbar (2010). “The Sport of the Gods: and Other Essential Writings”, p.420, Modern Library
  • All play and no work makes Jack a mere toy.

    Work   Play   Literature  
  • I hope there is something worthy in my writings and not merely the novelty of a black face associated with the power to rhyme that has attracted attention.

  • But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core.

    Paul Laurence Dunbar, Joanne M. Braxton (1993). “The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar”, p.102, University of Virginia Press
  • We reduce the deity to vulgar fractions. We place our own little ambitions and label them ?divine messages?. With our short sight we affect to take a comprehensive view of eternity.

    Ambition   Godly   Sight  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar (2009). “The Uncalled (EasyRead Large Edition)”, p.113, ReadHowYouWant.com
  • People are taking it for granted that [the Negro] ought not to work with his head. And it is so easy for these people among whom we are living to believe this; it flatters and satisfies their self-complacency.

    Believe   Self   People  
    Paul Laurence Dunbar (2010). “The Sport of the Gods: and Other Essential Writings”, p.358, Modern Library
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