The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar Book

Wonderful and varied poetry! A pleasure to be introduced in a book club to an author that apparently most African-Americans know and I had not heard of.

"He achieved recognition as America's first professional black literary man. The author of six volumes of poetry...as well as of novels, librettos, songs and essays, Dunbar was known nationally at the turn of the century and accepted as a writer among both blacks and whites. He is remembered today chiefly as a poet." "Dubar will speak of the good ole days, then say "We Wear the Mask."

In his words, he had an "all absorbing desire to be a worthy singer of the songs of God and nature. To be able to interpret my own people through song and story, and to prove to the many that after all we are more human than African."

"I know why the caged bird sings" is a line from one of his poems.