Fifty Dollars

Fifty Dollars
By Mark Spencer

To know somebody's character,
It will not cost a lot.
Simply loan them fifty dollars,
And that will set the plot.

If a friend has integrity,
He'll pay back what he owes.
But those who have no principles,
This lesson will expose.

One's word defines his character,
Beyond what we can see,
While character defines the man,
And his integrity.

I could take anything you have,
Your pride, your dignity;
I could take everything you own,
Your job and property.

And I could take your family,
Your children and your wife.
Perhaps I'd take your chastity,
Before I took your life.

But the one thing I cannot take,
For it is yours alone,
That thing is your integrity,
It's all you truly own.

But some will toss it on the fire,
And turn it into ash.
Others bargain with the devil,
To gain a little cash.

You can read a person's essence,
Like sages or scholars.
And you can even own their soul
For just fifty dollars.

End.