Written in African American dialect, the poem showcases Dunbar’s mastery of ... and reverence of waking up to a new day, ...

Alongside his poetry career, Johnson became an admired caterer and cookbook author, and his archival collection The American Table (1984) is justly lauded, though it remains out of print.

Poet Luke Wright celebrates the iconic poem that begins with this line 'Twas the night before Christmas...' and asks if we need a new version. Show more It's thought the most popular American poem ...

Or triumphant. The poem’s most poignant feature may be the soldier’s optimism, his faith in what comes after hell. He insists on the necessity of that faith, perhaps as a way of reassuring ...