The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/Hope

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

For works with similar titles, see Hope.

HOPE

De dog go howlin' 'long de road,
    De night come shiverin' down;
My back is tiahed of its load,
    I cain't be fu' f'om town.
No mattah ef de way is long,
My haht is swellin' wid a song,
    No mattah 'bout de frownin' skies,
    I'll soon be home to see my Lize.

My shadder staggah on de way,
    It's monstous col' to-night;
But I kin hyeah my honey say
    "W'y bless me if de sight
O' you ain't good fu' my so' eyes."
(Dat talk's dis lak my lady Lize)
    I's so'y case de way was long
    But Lawd you bring me love an' song.

No mattah ef de way is long,
    An' ef I trimbles so'
I knows de fiah's burnin' strong,
    Behime my Lizy's do'.
An' daih my res' an' joy shell be,
Whaih my ol' wife's awaitin' me—
    Why what I keer fu' stingin' blas',
    I see huh windah light at las'.