African American Poetry: A Digital AnthologyMain MenuFull Text Collection: Books Published by African American Poets, 1870-1928Long list of 100+ full texts books of poetry available on this "Anthology"Author Pages: Bios and Full Text CollectionsList of African American poets onAfrican American Periodical Poetry (1900-1928)A collection of African Amerian Periodical Poetry, mostly focused on 1900-1928Areas of Interest: Topics and ThemesAfrican American Poetry: Anthologies of the 1920sPoetry by African American Women (1890-1930): A Reader and GuideOpen access textbook introducing readers to Poetry by Black WomenExploring Datasets related to African American poetryAbout This Site: Mission Statement, Contributors, and Recent UpdatesAn account of the history and evolution of this site by the site editor.Further Reading / Works CitedAmardeep Singhc185e79df2fca428277052b90841c4aba30044e1
Cora J. Ball Moten, "A Lullaby" (1914)
1media/Cora-J-Ball-Moten-Lullaby-Poem-The-Crisis-Vol-8-No-6-October-1914- (1)_thumb.png2022-06-10T09:37:09-04:00Amardeep Singhc185e79df2fca428277052b90841c4aba30044e12131Poem published in The Crisis, October 1914plain2022-06-10T09:37:09-04:00Amardeep Singhc185e79df2fca428277052b90841c4aba30044e1
Dusky lashes droop and fall, Night-winds whisper, night-birds call. Close your tired sleepy eyes, Earth is singing lullabies, Kindly twilight shadows creep O’er a world that longs for sleep, Little dusky babe of mine Close those sleepy eyes of thine, Mother’s love will softly keep Watch above you while you sleep, Cruel hate and deadly wrong Cannot silence mother’s song Though against thy soft brown cheek She may hide her face and weep. Sleep, brown baby, while you may Peacefully, at close of day. Oh, that mother’s love could guard, Keep thee safe ‘neath watch and ward From the cruelly deadly things That await thee while she sings. Prejudice and cold white hate: These, my baby, these, thy fate, Little, gentle, trustful thing, Thus, these sobs, the while I sing.
Published in The Crisis. October 1914 Retyped by Christian Farrior