Draft in the author’s style. This poem was written for Poet of Wall Street to sit beside the author’s own readings, and is waiting for the author’s review. The commentary is a working draft too.
I borrowed to buy more of it, for surely it would climb,
And I felt like I was clever and ahead of all of time.
The broker said be careful, there's a line you mustn't cross,
If the price falls past the marker then we'll call to cover loss.
The price fell through the marker like a stone into a well,
And my phone rang in the morning like a loud and dreadful bell.
It was the margin call, the voice that every borrower fears,
Pay back now or we will sell it, and it echoed in my ears.
I sold my car and paid them, and I walked the rainy mile,
And I learned the price of borrowing and pride for quite a while.
So buy with what you have, my friend, not what you wish you had,
For a borrowed hill is slippery, and the tumble hurts so bad.
Poet of Wall Street · Hear it on the channel ↗
Commentary
Borrowing to invest feels clever until prices fall. The dreaded margin call arrives and teaches a costly lesson.
The speaker “borrowed to buy more of it,” feeling “clever and ahead of all of time.” The broker warns of “a line you mustn't cross.” Then “the price fell through the marker like a stone into a well.”
The phone rings “like a loud and dreadful bell”: “it was the margin call.” The speaker “sold my car and paid them” and “walked the rainy mile,” learning “the price of borrowing and pride.” The advice: “buy with what you have, my friend, not what you wish you had.”