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Life's Tragedy by Paul Laurence Dunbar   
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Paul Laurence Dunbar
Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1904 / Ohio / United States)
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Dunbar was born in Dayton, Ohio to parents who had escaped from slavery; his father was a veteran of the American Civil War, having served in the 55th .. more >>
36 poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar
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Life's Tragedy

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(56 votes)



  It may be misery not to sing at all,
And to go silent through the brimming day;
It may be misery never to be loved,
But deeper griefs than these beset the way.

To sing the perfect song,
And by a half-tone lost the key,
There the potent sorrow, there the grief,
The pale, sad staring of Life's Tragedy.

To have come near to the perfect love,
Not the hot passion of untempered youth,
But that which lies aside its vanity,
And gives, for thy trusting worship, truth.

This, this indeed is to be accursed,
For if we mortals love, or if we sing,
We count our joys not by what we have,
But by what kept us from that perfect thing.

Paul Laurence Dunbar


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Read poems about / on: grief, passion, sorrow, sad, truth, song, lost, life, love, joy, trust

 
  Comments about this poem (Life's Tragedy by Paul Laurence Dunbar )
Click here to write your comments about this poem (Life's Tragedy by Paul Laurence Dunbar )
 
  heatherjean. cropper  (4/16/2009 1:36:00 PM)

wow, I really like this poem.
  Singatha Gcilitshana  (4/16/2009 5:47:00 AM)

Well i'm overwhelmed by the words on the poem, its more like the writer was emotionall, sad, and consend about what life has/have in these days.
Knowing from experience i've gone through the same but i may have to say life has a destination no matter what.

I am proud of this man.
  Ranjani Sriram  (4/16/2008 3:40:00 AM)

Just beautiful... What essence this poem contains!
  Eithne Queen of Celts  (4/16/2008 2:27:00 AM)

I have recently learned at school about Laurence Dunbar...what sensitive poem he writes, he, whose parents had been black slaves.He writes beautifully and i am proud of everything he did, how he rised up to the best forms of art, by himself.
  Janri Gogeshvili  (4/16/2008 2:07:00 AM)

Beautiful reminder... _
We count our joys not by what we have,
But by what kept us from that perfect thing.
  Coach Roth  (4/16/2008 12:34:00 AM)

As the Bhuddists say...'I choose to rejoice in the sorrowfulness of life.' Coach
  Lorna Gero  (4/16/2006 4:08:00 PM)

This poem is very beautiful and heart felt.
  David Guillotte  (12/4/2005 9:17:00 AM)

I think is a great poem.

Read all 8 comments >>
 
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