The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar — Context and Discussion

Dialect and the Vernacular Voice

The dialect poems in this collection, such as "Foolin' Wid de Seasons" and "Angelina," employ a phonetic rendering of African American speech that was controversial even in Dunbar's time. In "Foolin' Wid de Seasons," the speaker chides a neighbor who "nevah t'inks o' nuffin / 'Ceptin' jes' to plot an' plan," advocating instead for contentment with "de season dat 's at han'." These poems often carry a moral or philosophical weight beneath their playful surface. Howells, in his introduction, acknowledges that Dunbar's dialect work is "not a dialect of the negro race" but a literary construct, yet he praises its authenticity. Readers should note how Dunbar varies the density of dialect: some poems use heavy phonetic spelling, while others, like "My Sort o' Man," use only occasional colloquialisms, creating a spectrum of vernacular expression.

Standard English and Lyric Range

Alongside the dialect poems, Dunbar wrote extensively in standard English, exploring themes of love, nature, and mortality. These poems often employ traditional forms such as sonnets and ballads, demonstrating his command of nineteenth-century poetic conventions. The collection includes poems like "The Poet and His Song" and "We Wear the Mask," the latter a powerful allegory for the African American experience: "We wear the mask that grins and lies, / It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes." This poem, written in standard English, contrasts sharply with the dialect pieces, suggesting that Dunbar used different linguistic registers to address different audiences and subjects. The juxtaposition of these two modes within a single volume invites readers to consider how voice and form shape meaning.

Recurring Themes: Labor, Pride, and Contentment

Across both dialect and standard English poems, Dunbar returns to themes of honest labor, personal pride, and the search for contentment. In "My Sort o' Man," the speaker declares, "I like to grasp the brawny hand / That labor's lips have kissed," and asserts that "he who has not labored here / Life's greatest pride has missed." This celebration of work ethic appears alongside a critique of social pretension: "I don't believe in 'ristercrats / An' never did, you see." Similarly, "Foolin' Wid de Seasons" advises against constant planning and instead urges readers to "be satisfied wid livin' / In de season dat 's at han'." These poems collectively advocate for a grounded, self-reliant philosophy, often delivered through a persona that is plainspoken and skeptical of ambition for its own sake.

The Poet's Relationship with His Audience

Dunbar's poetry frequently addresses the reader directly, creating an intimate, conversational tone. In "My Sort o' Man," the speaker uses second-person address: "You 've got to put yore see-ers on, / An' go an' hunt it up." This directness is a hallmark of his style, whether in dialect or standard English. Howells's introduction also shapes the reader's expectations, positioning Dunbar as a poet whose work "specially appealed to me for reasons apart from the author's race." Yet the poems themselves often engage with racial identity explicitly, as in "We Wear the Mask" or the dialect pieces that celebrate African American community life. Readers should attend to how Dunbar navigates between being a representative of his race and an individual artist, a tension that Howells's framing both acknowledges and complicates.

As you read through this collection, pay attention to the interplay between Dunbar's dialect and standard English poems. Notice how the same themes—work, pride, love, and mortality—appear in both modes, but with different tonal effects. The dialect poems often employ humor and irony, while the standard English poems lean toward lyricism and pathos. Consider how Dunbar's choice of language shapes the reader's relationship to the speaker and the subject. This volume offers a rich opportunity to explore the work of a poet who was both a product of his time and a distinctive voice in American literature.