But Is That All?

The Sum
Paul Laurence Dunbar

 A little dreaming by the way,
   A little toiling day by day;
   A little pain, a little strife,
   A little joy,--and that is life.

 A little short-lived summer's morn,
   When joy seems all so newly born,
   When one day's sky is blue above,
   And one bird sings,--and that is love.

 A little sickening of the years,
   The tribute of a few hot tears
   Two folded hands, the failing breath,
   And peace at last,--and that is death.

 Just dreaming, loving, dying so,
   The actors in the drama go--
   A flitting picture on a wall,
   Love, Death, the themes; but is that all?

All of Paul Laurence Dunbar’s works are in the public domain and may be downloaded freely from Project Gutenberg, HERE.

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• Tagged: poem, poetry, Project Gutenberg