An illustrated collection of poems by Paul Laurence Dunbar, including A Boy's Summer Song, The Sparrow, and Little Brown Baby.

An illustrated collection of poems by Paul Laurence Dunbar, including A Boy's Summer Song, The Sparrow, and Little Brown Baby.

Did you know that Paul Laurence Dunbar originated such famous lines as I know why the caged bird sings and We wear the mask that grins and lies. From his childhood in poverty and his early promise as a poet through his struggles to find acceptance as a writer and his tumultuous romance with his wife, to his immense fame and his untimely death, Dunbar's story is one of triumph and tragedy. But his legacy remains in his much-beloved poetr told in both Standard English and in dialect which continues to delight and inspire readers today. More than two dozen of Dunbar's poems are woven throughout this volume, illuminating the phases of his life and serving as examples of dialect, imagery, and tone. Narrating in a voice full of admiration and respect, Sally Derby introduces Paul Laurence Dunbar's life and poetry to readers young and old, aided by Sean Qualls's striking black-and-white illustrations. Discover the breadth and depth of Paul Laurence Dunbar's poetry and learn how it reflects his singular life as a late-nineteenth-century black man.

Dunbar is the first American Negro of pure African bloodto reveal innate distinction in literature; as W.D. Howells has said, to feel the Negro life esthetically and express it lyrically.

Comprehensive collection of one of the beloved African-American poet's works includes "Ode to Ethiopia," "Not They Who Soar," "When Malindy Sings," "We Wear the Mask, "Dinah Kneading Dough," "The Haunted Oak," more.