The Collected Poetry Of Paul Laurence Dunbar

Presents the 1913 edition of African-American writer Paul Dunbar's collected poems and adds sixty poems to it, also providing variants, selected primary and secondary bibliographies, and an index of first lines.

Paul Laurence Dunbar's 'The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar' offers an expansive tableau of the African American experience at the turn of the 20th century through poetry that weaves a rich tapestry of emotion, heritage, and history. This collection showcases Dunbar's mastery of both standard English verse and dialect poetry, the latter drawing from the vernacular of the Southern Black community. His work exemplifies a fusion of lyrical and narrative styles, set against the broad literary context of the American Realism and early Modernist periods, a time when issues of race and identity were carving deep fissures in the cultural landscape of the nation. As the son of freed slaves, Dunbar's literary genius springs from the well of his own cultural and personal struggles. His poignant exploration of themes such as liberty, oppression, love, and the complexities of African American life has cemented his reputation as a significant literary figure. Dunbar's poetry delves into the emotional and cultural dialogues of his era, preserving the voices of his community through eloquent artistic expressions that remain impactful to this day. His works are not merely artifacts of a historical epoch but are living testaments to the endurance and depth of the human spirit. For enthusiasts of American poetry and those invested in the literary chronicles of the African American experience, 'The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar' is an essential volume. It offers readers a window into the soul of a man and his society, revealing the universal truths that resonate beyond the boundaries of time and race. This anthology is deserving of a place on the shelves of scholars and lay readers alike who appreciate the power of words to incite change, to celebrate heritage, and to heal fissures wrought by history's hand.

W. D. HOWELLS. What struck me in reading Mr. Dunbar's poetry was what had already struck his friends in Ohio and Indiana, in Kentucky and Illinois. They had felt, as I felt, that however gifted his race had proven itself in music, in oratory, in several of the other arts, here was the first instance of an American negro who had evinced innate distinction in literature. In my criticism of his book I had alleged Dumas in France, and I had forgetfully failed to allege the far greater Pushkin in Russia; but these were both mulattoes, who might have been supposed to derive their qualities from white blood vastly more artistic than ours, and who were the creatures of an environment more favorable to their literary development. So far as I could remember, Paul Dunbar was the only man of pure African blood and of American civilization to feel the negro life aesthetically and express it lyrically.

The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar is a comprehensive selection of the iconic writer’s beloved poetry that features his unique rhythm and famous dialect. His work is a beautiful and critical examination of the human spirit. Paul Laurence Dunbar produced an impressive volume of work during his short lifetime. Prior to his passing, at age 33, he published multiple collections of poetry including Majors and Minors in 1895 and Lyrics of Lowly Life in 1896. Dunbar uses his poetry to address multiple themes such as love, loss, family, marriage and work. His signature prose and melodic turn of phrase permeates the heart and mind, leaving an indelible mark. The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar is required reading for poetry scholars. It helps exemplify Dunbar’s influence in America and abroad. He was a prolific artist who set a precedent for many twentieth century poets, including Dr. Maya Angelou. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar is both modern and readable.

Dialect poems by one of the nineteenth century's most talented African American lyricists Paul Laurence Dunbar was “the most promising young colored man” in nineteenth-century America, according to Frederick Douglass, and subsequently one of the most controversial. His plantation lyrics, written while he was an elevator boy in Ohio, established Dunbar as the premier writer of dialect poetry and garnered him international recognition. More than a vernacular lyricist, Dunbar was also a master of classical poetic forms, who helped demonstrate to post–Civil War America that literary genius did not reside solely in artists of European descent. William Dean Howells called Dunbar’s dialect poems “evidence of the essential unity of the human race, which does not think or feel black in one and white in another, but humanly in all.” For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.