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Forever

By Paul Laurence Dunbar

Topics: classic

I had not known before     Forever was so long a word.     The slow stroke of the clock of time     I had not heard.     'Tis hard to learn so late;     It seems no sad heart really learns,     But hopes and trusts and doubts and fears,     And bleeds and burns.     The night is not all dark,     Nor is the day all it seems,     But each may bring me this relief--     My dreams and dreams.     I had not known before     That Never was so sad a word,     So wrap me in forgetfulness--     I have not heard.

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"I had not known before..."

This evocative piece by Paul Laurence Dunbar, titled "Forever", represents a masterful exploration of classic. The lines capture a profound emotional resonance... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...

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Author:Paul Laurence Dunbar

"I had not known before..." by Paul Laurence Dunbar

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"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

Paul Laurence Dunbar

About Paul Laurence Dunbar

Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906) was an American poet and novelist who was one of the first African-American writers to gain national prominence. His poems in dialect—including "When Malindy Sings"—and standard English explore Black life with humor, pathos, and dignity.

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"As lone I sat one summer's day,     With mien deje..."

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