Compensation
Because I had loved so deeply,
Because I had loved so long,
God in His great compassion
Gave me the gift of song.
Because I have loved so vainly,
And sung with such faltering breath,
The Master in infinite mercy
Offers the boon of Death.
Credit
This poem is in the public domain. This poem appeared in Poem-a-Day on July 26, 2014.
About this Poem
“Compensation” was originally published in Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow (1905).
Author
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Paul Laurence Dunbar, born in 1872 and the author of numerous collections of poetry and prose, was one of the first African American poets to gain national recognition.
Date Published
02/01/1905