Love’s Compensation + 

I went before God, and he said, + 

“What fruit of the life I gave?” + 

“Father,” I said, “it is dead, + 

And nothing grows on the grave.” + 

Wroth was the Lord and stern: + 

“Hadst thou not to answer me? + 

Shall the fruitless root not burn, + 

And be wasted utterly?” + 

“Father,” I said, “forgive! + 

For thou knowest what I have done; + 

That another’s life might live + 

Mine turned to a barren stone.” + 

But the Father of Life sent fire + 

And burned the root in the grave; + 

And the pain in my heart is dire + 

For the thing that I could not save. + 

For the thing it was laid on me + 

By the Lord of Life to bring; + 

Fruit of the ungrown tree + 

That died for no watering. + 

Another has gone to God, + 

And his fruit has pleased Him well; + 

For he sitteth high, while I⁠—plod + 

The dry ways down towards hell. + 

Though thou knowest, thou knowest, Lord, + 

Whose tears made that fruit’s root wet; + 

Yet thou drivest me forth with a sword, + 

And thy Guards by the Gate are set. + 

Thou wilt give me up to the fire, + 

And none shall deliver me; + 

For I followed my heart’s desire, + 

And I labored not for thee: + 

I labored for him thou hast set + 

On thy right hand, high and fair; + 

Thou lovest him, Lord; and yet + 

’Twas my love won Him there. + 

But this is the thing that hath been, + 

Hath been since the world began⁠— + 

That love against self must sin, + 

And a woman die for a man. + 

And this is the thing that shall be, + 

Shall be till the whole world die, + 

Kismet:⁠—My doom is on me! + 

Why murmur since I am I? + 