Summer In The South Poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar
Summer In The South
The Oriole sings in the greening grove
As if he were half-way waiting,
The rosebuds peep from their hoods of green,
Timid, and hesitating.
The rain comes down in a torrent sweep
And the nights smell warm and pinety,
The garden thrives, but the tender shoots
Are yellow-green and tiny.
Then a flash of sun on a waiting hill,
Streams laugh that erst were quiet,
The sky smiles down with a dazzling blue
And the woods run mad with riot.
A plu-perfect nature poem, which reads like it sprung from Dunbar's pure self, like a natural change of season.
It is a very good poem, but in the 6th line 'pinety' probably should be 'piny' or 'piney'. Just for the poet's reference.
The roses would only be susceptible to the rain at night when the buds and leaves would not have a chance to dry, thus providing and opening for blight and fungus. But who cares, the real tragedy here is that Dunbar was so young at his passing.
What a nice poem from a nice poet.lI. I like this type of poet.
The sights and sounds of nature are vivid with color and movement.
One of my favorite poems as a child. Truly gifted, but died too young
A plu-perfect nature poem which reads like it sprung naturally from Dunbar's pure self.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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10/29/2026 11:08:59 PM # rel_20261026T125300Z_a7741e1
Everyone has an opinion, I see. We are told how to interpret a poem and how not to interpret one! Let me ask doubting Thomases like young MacKenzie - how does a reader come to an understanding of a poem unless he pays attention to what words mean? For that matter, the relevant question should be HOW DOES A POEM MEAN? Study rime and meter and rhythm in earnest and you might come to comprehend what the poem means, right? Yes, one must infer meaning from the structure of the poem! You cannot ask personal questions of any writer, now can you? How about Shakespeare's plays? Incidentally, whatever happened to my earlier comments, as well as those of Mr. Straw? The author some of you might consult is John Ciardi, who translated Dante's DIVINE COMEDY from its original Italian to English and whose book entitled HOW DOES A POEM MEAN has withstood the ravages of time. A word to the wise, eh?