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From the  creator's well of talent

Dunbar over drew

Poetic pictures of old times

Colorfully made anew
Voices he gave to a people no one knew

Home tales of slavery

Some happy...many blue

Hidden from the world he grew

Fed by his parents voice

Slavery's addendum...racist realities

Born free...he had no choice

Love professed in witty ways

His labor beyond them grew

If not he...to share our story

I ask myself...then who?

Others revealed their peoples ways

City life country days

What mattered most...was all he knew

Inside hearts with a birds eye view

Stories, folktales, poetry and songs

He wrote and spoke in public view

Reading in prose...drew a rose

If not he...above the few, then who?

Harris, Lanier, Chestnutt, Davis and Hay

Wrote plantation stories back in the day

Make believe stories in broken words

English, Irish and German, Dunbar was heard.

Over his grave they made remarks

Saying his words were not so smart

Others cursed the rhymes he spew

Common verses rang too true

He set his pen to move with God

A blessing his lyrics are to me

So to critics who only criticize

Tell me...who else could reveal us...but he?

(c) 1999 Oni Lasana, Real Tales of Rhymes & Reasons

2.28.99 - Heidelberg, Germany. Oni Lasana wrote this poem after reading "Crossing The Color Line" A biography of Paul Laurence Dunbar by Felton O. Best