Life

A crust of bread and a corner to sleep in,

A minute to smile and an hour to weep in,

A pint of joy to a peck of trouble,

And never a laugh but the moans come double;

And that is life!

A crust and a corner that love makes precious,

And joy seems sweeter when cares come after,

And a moan is the finest of foils for laughter;

And that is life!



Paul Laurence Dunbar