Michael Appelt

A light returns.

In this episode of Musical Poetry, we bring Spring Song by Paul Laurence Dunbar into a new space—carried by a warm jazz big band arrangement that lets the poem breathe, swing, and gently unfold.

Written in the early years of Dunbar’s career in the 1890s, Spring Song captures a quiet and timeless moment:

the shift from winter to spring, from stillness to movement, from silence to song.

No grand statements.

No heavy weight.

Just life… returning.

This interpretation leans into that simplicity—with rhythm that moves, brass that lifts, and a sense of understated joy that lingers.

🎙️ Musical Poetry

Where words meet music—and where words fail, poetry still speaks.

📌 About the Poet

Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906) was one of the first African American poets to gain national recognition. His work is known for its musicality, emotional clarity, and ability to capture both the weight and lightness of everyday life.