The Change Has Come

The Change Has Come by Paul Laurence Dunbar

In the 1913 collection of his work, The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar

           THE CHANGE HAS COME

The change has come, and Helen sleeps—
Not sleeps; but wakes to greater deeps
  Of wisdom, glory, truth, and light,
  Than ever blessed her seeking sight,
  In this low, long, lethargic night,
     Worn out with strife
     Which men call life.

The change has come, and who would say
"I would it were not come to-day"?
   What were the respite till to-morrow?
   Postponement of a certain sorrow,
   From which each passing day would borrow!
     Let grief be dumb,
     The change has come

This work published before January 1, 1923 is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.