| James Weldon Johnson, ed. (1871–1938). The Book of American Negro Poetry. 1922. |
| |
| Ships That Pass in the Night |
| | | Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906) |
| |
| |
| OUT in the sky the great dark clouds are massing; | |
| I look far out into the pregnant night, | |
| Where I can hear a solemn booming gun | |
| And catch the gleaming of a random light, | |
| That tells me that the ship I seek is passing, passing. | 5 |
| |
| My tearful eyes my soul’s deep hurt are glassing; | |
| For I would hail and check that ship of ships. | |
| I stretch my hands imploring, cry aloud, | |
| My voice falls dead a foot from mine own lips, | |
| And but its ghost doth reach that vessel, passing, passing. | 10 |
| |
| O Earth, O Sky, O Ocean, both surpassing, | |
| O heart of mine, O soul that dreads the dark! | |
| Is there no hope for me? Is there no way | |
| That I may sight and check that speeding bark | |
| Which out of sight and sound is passing, passing? | 15 |
| |
|
|
|
