 | The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar : |  |
THE DEBT
This is the debt I pay
Just for one riotous day,
Years of regret and grief,
Sorrow without relief.
Just for one riotous day,
Years of regret and grief,
Sorrow without relief.
Pay it I will to the end—
Until the grave, my friend,
Gives me a true release—
Gives me the clasp of peace.
Until the grave, my friend,
Gives me a true release—
Gives me the clasp of peace.
Slight was the thing I bought,
Small was the debt I thought,
Poor was the loan at best—
God! but the interest!
Small was the debt I thought,
Poor was the loan at best—
God! but the interest!
| The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar : | |