The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/A Summer Night

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

A SUMMER NIGHT

Summah is de lovin' time—
  Do' keer what you say.
Night is allus peart an' prime,
  Bettah dan de day.
Do de day is sweet an' good,
  Birds a-singin' fine,
Pines a-smellin' in de wood,—
  But de night is mine.

Rivah whisperin' "howdy do,"
  Ez it pass you by—
Moon a-lookin' down at you,
  Winkin' on de sly.
Frogs a-croakin' f'om de pon',
  Singin' bass dey fill,
An' you listen way beyon'
  Ol' man whippo'will.

Hush up, honey, tek my han'
  Mek yo' footsteps light;
Somep'n' kin' o' hol's de lan'
  On a summah night.
Somep'n' dat you nevah sees
  An' you nevah hyeahs,
But you feels it in de breeze,
  Somep'n' nigh to teahs.

Somep'n' nigh to teahs? dat's so;
  But hit's nigh to smiles.
An' you feels it ez you go
  Down de shinin' miles.
Tek my han', my little dove;
  Hush an' come erway—
Summah is de time fu' love,
  Night-time beats de day!