The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/Misapprehension

MISAPPREHENSION

Out of my heart, one day, I wrote a song, With my heart's blood imbued, Instinct with passion, tremulously strong, With grief subdued; Breathing a fortitude Pain-bought. And one who claimed much love for what I wrought, Read and considered it, And spoke: "Ay, brother,—'t is well writ,   But where's the joke?"