Skip to content
Linespedia

To The Eastern Shore

By Paul Laurence Dunbar

Topics: classic

I 's feelin' kin' o' lonesome in my little room to-night,     An' my min 's done los' de minutes an' de miles,     Wile it teks me back a-flyin' to de country of delight,     Whaih de Chesapeake goes grumblin' er wid smiles.     Oh, de ol' plantation 's callin' to me, Come, come back,     Hyeah 's de place fu' you to labouh an' to res',     'Fu my sandy roads is gleamin' w'ile de city ways is black;     Come back, honey, case yo' country home is bes'.     I know de moon is shinin' down erpon de Eastern sho',     An' de bay 's a-sayin' "Howdy" to de lan';     An' de folks is all a-settin' out erroun' de cabin do',     Wid dey feet a-restin' in de silvah san';     An' de ol' plantation 's callin' to me, Come, oh, come,     F'om de life dat 's des' a-waihin' you erway,     F'om de trouble an' de bustle, an' de agernizin' hum     Dat de city keeps ergoin' all de day.     I 's tiahed of de city, tek me back to Sandy Side,     Whaih de po'est ones kin live an' play an' eat;     Whaih we draws a simple livin' f'om de fo'est an' de tide,     An' de days ah faih, an' evah night is sweet.     Fu' de ol' plantation 's callin' to me, Come, oh, come.     An' de Chesapeake 's a-sayin' "Dat's de t'ing,"     W'ile my little cabin beckons, dough his mouf is closed an' dumb,     I 's a-comin, an' my hea't begins to sing.

AI analysis available. Enable JavaScript to interact.

About this line

"I 's feelin' kin' o' lonesome in my little room to-night,..."

Paul Laurence Dunbar's contribution to classic is further solidified by the brilliance found in "To The Eastern Shore"... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...

Attribution & Rights

Author:Paul Laurence Dunbar

"I 's feelin' kin' o' lonesome in my little room to..." by Paul Laurence Dunbar

For usage rights, copyright concerns, or to report an issue with this content, please visit our Copyright & Report page.

Related lines

"As lone I sat one summer's day,     With mien dejected, Love came by;     His face distraught, his locks astray,     So slow his gait, so sad h"

"Come away to dreamin' town,     Mandy Lou, Mandy Lou,     Whaih de skies don' nevah frown,         Mandy Lou;     Whaih he streets is paved"

"Ah me, it is cold and chill     And the fire sobs low in the grate,     While the wind rides by on the hill,     And the logs crack sharp with"

"A crust of bread and a corner to sleep in,     A minute to smile and an hour to weep in,     A pint of joy to a peck of trouble,     And never"

"Here morning in the ploughman's songs is met     Ere yet one footstep shows in all the sky,     And twilight in the east, a doubt as yet,     S"

"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.

Full Bibliography
Continue Reading

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

Weekly Poetic Insight

Join our literary Sanctuary

Get the most inspiring lines, poetic analysis, and secret shayaris delivered to your inbox every Sunday.