Invitation to Love

A setting of the poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar
for unaccompanied Mixed Choir (SATB)
or Solo Voice or Unison Chorus with piano accompaniment

Also available for solo instrument with piano accompaniment

Duration: 3'15"

Download Perusal SATB PDF · Download Perusal Unison PDF

Text · Performance History · Purchase Sheet Music

Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872 - 1906) was born in Dayton, Ohio, and published his first poems at age 16. He gained fame as a poet, novelist and playwright, and wrote the lyrics for the musical comedy In Dahomey (1903), the first all-African-American musical produced on Broadway.

An mp3 of the piano accompaniment is available as a free download.

Premiere Performance by Mixed Choir:
Solo Voice or Unison Chorus:
Mixed Choir Score Video:

Invitation to Love

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

Come when the nights are bright with stars
Or come when the moon is mellow;
Come when the sun his golden bars
Drops on the hay-field yellow.
Come in the twilight soft and gray,
Come in the night or come in the day,
Come, O love, whene'er you may,
And you are welcome, welcome.

You are sweet, O Love, dear Love,
You are soft as the nesting dove.
Come to my heart and bring it to rest
As the bird flies home to its welcome nest.

Come when my heart is full of grief
Or when my heart is merry;
Come with the falling of the leaf
Or with the redd'ning cherry.
Come when the year's first blossom blows,
Come when the summer gleams and glows,
Come with the winter's drifting snows,
And you are welcome, welcome.





Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)

Purchase Sheet Music

Sheet music for the vocal versions of Invitation to Love is available here: J. W. Pepper.

Sheet music for the instrumental versions of Invitation to Love is available here: J. W. Pepper.

And sheet music for all versions of Invitation to Love is also available from: Sheet Music Plus.

Performance History

The premier performance (SATB version) was May 9, 2025 by the Radiance Ensemble under Markdavin Obenza, at Trinity Parish Church, Seattle.

Contact me if your ensemble would like to premiere the unison version of this work.