The Debt Unpayable

What have I given,
Bold sailor on the sea?
In earth or heaven,
That you should die for me?

What can I give,
O soldier, leal and brave,
Long as I live,
To pay the life you gave?

What tithe or part
Can I return to thee,
O stricken heart,
That thou shouldst break for me?

The wind of Death
For you has slain life's flowers,
It withereth
(God grant) all weeds in ours.

F. W. Bourdillon

Media: <html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Debt Unpayable</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">What</span> have I given,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Bold sailor on the sea?</p><p class="line">In earth or heaven,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">That you should die for me?</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">What can I give,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">O soldier, leal and brave,</p><p class="line">Long as I live,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">To pay the life you gave?</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">What tithe or part</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Can I return to thee,</p><p class="line">O stricken heart,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">That thou shouldst break for me?</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The wind of Death</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">For you has slain life's flowers,</p><p class="line">It withereth</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">(God grant) all weeds in ours.</p></div><p class="byline">F. W. Bourdillon</p></body></html>