Living

Retort

by Paul Laurence Dunbar 1872–1906

Living

"Thou art a fool," said my head to my heart,
"Indeed, the greatest of fools thou art,
To be led astray by the trick of a tress,
By a smiling face or a ribbon smart;"
And my heart was in sore distress.

Then Phyllis came by, and her face was fair,
The light gleamed soft on her raven hair;
And her lips were blooming a rosy red.
Then my heart spoke out with a right bold air:
"Thou art worse than a fool, O head!"

MLA

Dunbar, Paul Laurence. “Retort.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/paul-laurence-dunbar/2/.

Chicago

Dunbar, Paul Laurence. “Retort.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/paul-laurence-dunbar/2/.

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