| James Weldon Johnson, ed. (1871–1938). The Book of American Negro Poetry. 1922. |
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| Lover’s Lane |
| | | Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906) |
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| SUMMAH night an’ sighin’ breeze, | |
| ’Long de lovah’s lane; | |
| Frien’ly, shadder-mekin’ trees, | |
| ’Long de lovah’s lane. | |
| White folks’ wo’k all done up gran’— | 5 |
| Me an’ ’Mandy han’-in-han’ | |
| Struttin’ lak we owned de lan’, | |
| ’Long de lovah’s lane. | |
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| Owl a-settin’ ’side de road, | |
| ’Long de lovah’s lane, | 10 |
| Lookin’ at us lak he knowed | |
| Dis uz lovah’s lane. | |
| Go on, hoot yo’ Mou’nful tune, | |
| You ain’ nevah loved in June, | |
| An’ come hidin’ f’om de moon | 15 |
| Down in lovah’s lane. | |
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| Bush it ben’ an’ nod an’ sway, | |
| Down in lovah’s lane, | |
| Try’n’ to hyeah me whut I say | |
| ’Long de lovah’s lane. | 20 |
| But I whispahs low lak dis, | |
| An’ my ’Mandy smile huh bliss— | |
| Mistah Bush he shek his fis’, | |
| Down in lovah’s lane. | |
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| Whut I keer ef day is long, | 25 |
| Down in lovah’s lane. | |
| I kin allus sing a song | |
| ’Long de lovah’s lane. | |
| An’ de wo’ds I hyeah an’ say | |
| Meks up fu’ de weary day | 30 |
| Wen I’s strollin’ by de way, | |
| Down in lovah’s lane. | |
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| An’ dis t’ought will allus rise | |
| Down in lovah’s lane; | |
| Wondah whethah in de skies | 35 |
| Dey’s a lovah’s lane. | |
| Ef dey ain’t, I tell you true, | |
| ’Ligion do look mighty blue, | |
| ’Cause I do’ know whut I’d do | |
| ’Dout a lovah’s lane. | 40 |
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