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.
Paul Laurence DunbarRead
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the inevitable and often romanticized concept of the end of life cycles and the natural world.
In this quote, Paul Laurence Dunbar suggests that the traditional narratives of nature and the sorrow associated with the dying year are exaggerated and insincere. He conveys a sense of skepticism towards the sentimentalization of death and change in the natural world, indicating that these tales may be more of a human construct than a genuine reflection of nature's processes.
Themes
FarceNatureDeathLife CyclesChange
In practice
Example use cases
To discuss the fleeting nature of life in a graduation speech.
More from Paul Laurence Dunbar
All quotes βA 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 DunbarRead
I know what the caged bird feels, alas!
Paul Laurence DunbarRead
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