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When he died at just thirty-three years of age, Paul Laurence Dunbar had achieved more than any African American poet before him. Speakin' O' Christmas and Other Christmas Poems is a posthumously published collection of his most festive-holiday themed verses, including, "Chrismus is A-Comin'," "Soliloquy of a Turkey," "Christmas in the Heart," and the titular, "Speakin' O' Christmas."
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Paul Laurence Dunbar was an influential African American poet, novelist, and playwright, born in 1872 in Dayton, Ohio. He was one of the first Black writers to gain national prominence in the United States. Dunbar's work often explored themes of race, identity, and the struggles faced by African Americans, blending humor and pathos in his writings.
He is best known for his poems, which often used dialect to reflect the experiences of Black Americans. His most famous works include "We Wear the Mask" and "Sympathy," the latter inspiring the well-known phrase "I know why the caged bird sings." In addition to poetry, Dunbar wrote novels, such as "The Sport of the Gods," which addresses the challenges of urban life for African Americans.
Despite facing significant racial prejudice, Dunbar's literary contributions have had a lasting impact on American literature, influencing future generations of writers. He passed away in 1906, leaving behind a rich legacy.
Riassunto
“Breezes blowin’ middlin’ brisk, / Snowflakes thro’ the air a-whisk, / Fallin’ kind o’ soft an’ light, /Not enough to make things white, / But jest sorter siftin’ down / So ’s to cover up the brown /Of the dark world’s rugged ways / ’N’ make things look like holidays. /Not smoothed over, but jest specked, / Sorter strainin’ fur effect, / An’ not quite a-gittin’ through / What it started in to do. / Mercy sakes! It does seem queer / Christmas day is ’most nigh here. / Somehow it don’t seem to me /Christmas like it used to be,— / Christmas with its ice an’ snow, / Christmas of the long ago.” Once praised by Frederick Douglass as “the most promising young colored man in America,” Paul Laurence Dunbar was an exceptionally gifted poet who helped lay the foundation of African American literature and was the first African American poet to achieve major success across the color line. Published posthumously nearly ten years after his untimely death, Speakin’ O’ Christmas and Other Christmas Poems, collects over a dozen of his most festive, holiday-themed verses into a single volume, including, “Chrismus is A-Comin’,” “Soliloquy of a Turkey,” “Christmas in the Heart,” and the titular, “Speakin’ O’ Christmas.”Celebrating both the spirit of the holiday season and the talent of the “Negro dialect” poet, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Speakin’ O’ Christmas and Other Poems is a delightful collection of poetry for readers of all ages.
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