On April 6, 1901, William Lord, a poet and publisher from Evanston, Illinois, wrote to Paul Laurence Dunbar in Washington, D. C., about his poem "The Paradox."
Mrs. Danske Dandridge of Washington is making a collection of poems for "NOON" under the general title "Poems of Sorrow and Death." Among the poems in her collection is your "The Paradox," which you may be pleased to know Mrs. Dandridge speaks of as "one of the most beautiful poems ever written." We hope you will favor us with a favorable response. We send you today a sample copy of "NOON" that you may have a better idea of how we wish to use your poem.
William S. Lord to Paul Laurence Dunbar, April 6, 1901. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 1).
Lord oversaw a variety of literary publications, including a monthly journal called Noon. A typical issue was based on a topical theme and contained poems selected by a guest editor. In this case, the editor was Caroline Danske Dandridge, a Danish-born author and historian. She had attempted to meet Paul at his home in Washington, but he was out of town. Paul's wife Alice wrote to him about her visit.
She and her husband called this morning and were pathetically sorry to miss you. They certainly are lovely people. She is a little, tiny, bird-like woman, not pretty but attractive, and he is a big, bluff, hearty, white-haired, red-faced, one-eyed man. He adores his wife and thinks she writes lovely poetry, but he says it doesn't pay her. She left an autograph copy of a book of poems for you. I said I would send it to you, but I don't believe I will for you'll never bring it home and the poems are too lovely to be lost. They spent a delightful time here, and left with many messages to you.
Alice Moore Dunbar to Paul Laurence Dunbar, March 22, 1901. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 8).
Paul agreed to Lord's request and "The Paradox" appeared in the June 1901 edition of Noon.
Thanks are due to Mr. Paul Laurence Dunbar for permission to use his poem "The Paradox" in this number of NOON. This poem has been spoken of as "one of the most beautiful poems ever written."
"The Publisher's Notes," by William S. Lord. Noon (Evanston, Illinois). June 1901. Page 192.
I am the mother of sorrows,
I am the ender of grief;
I am the bud and the blossom,
I am the late-falling leaf.
I am thy priest and thy poet,
I am thy serf and thy king;
I cure the tears of the heartsick,
When I come near they shall sing.Speak to me gently or curse me,
Seek me or fly from my sight;
I am thy fool in the morning,
Thou art my slave in the night.Down to the grave will I take thee,
Out from the noise of the strife;
Then shalt thou see me and know me --
Death, then, no longer, but life.Excerpt from "The Paradox," by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Published in Lyrics of the Hearthside (1899).