Page:The complete poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar.pdf/84



a humble little motto That is homely, though it's true,—
 * Keep a-pluggin' away.

It's a thing when I've an object That I always try to do,—
 * Keep a-pluggin' away.

When you've rising storms to quell, When opposing waters swell, It will never fail to tell,—
 * Keep a-pluggin' away.

If the hills are high before And the paths are hard to climb,
 * Keep a-pluggin' away.

And remember that successes Come to him who bides his time,—
 * Keep a-pluggin' away.

From the greatest to the least, None are from the rule released. Be thou toiler, poet, priest,
 * Keep a-pluggin' away.

Delve away beneath the surface, There is treasure farther down,—
 * Keep a-pluggin' away.

Let the rain come down in torrents, Let the threat'ning heavens frown,
 * Keep a-pluggin' away.

When the clouds haye rolled away, There will come a brighter day All your labor to repay,—
 * Keep a-pluggin' away.

There 'll be lots of sneers to swallow, There 'll be lots of pain to bear,—
 * Keep a-pluggin' away.

If you've got your eye on heaven, Some bright day you'll wake up there,—
 * Keep a-pluggin' away.

Perseverance still is king; Time its sure reward will bring; Work and wait unwearying,—
 * Keep a-pluggin' away.

moon has left the sky, love,
 * The stars are hiding now,

And frowning on the world, love,
 * Night bares her sable brow.

The snow is on the ground, love,
 * And cold and keen the air is,

I'm singing here to you, love;
 * You 're dreaming there in Paris.

But this is Nature's law, love,
 * Though just it may not seem,

That men should wake to sing, love,
 * While maidens sleep and dream.

Them care may not molest, love,
 * Nor stir them from their slumbers,