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1897 A FOOL there was and he made his prayer | |
(Even as you and I!) | |
To a rag and a bone and a hank of hair | |
(We called her the woman who did not care) | |
But the fool he called her his lady fair | 5 |
(Even as you and I!) | |
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Oh, the years we waste and the tears we waste | |
And the work of our head and hand | |
Belong to the woman who did not know | |
(And now we know that she never could know) | 10 |
And did not understand! | |
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A fool there was and his goods he spent | |
(Even as you and I!) | |
Honour and faith and a sure intent | |
(And it wasnt the least what the lady meant) | 15 |
But a fool must follow his natural bent | |
(Even as you and I!) | |
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Oh, the toil we lost and the spoil we lost | |
And the excellent things we planned | |
Belong to the woman who didnt know why | 20 |
(And now we know that she never knew why) | |
And did not understand! | |
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The fool was stripped to his foolish hide | |
(Even as you and I!) | |
Which she might have seen when she threw him aside | 25 |
(But it isnt on record the lady tried) | |
So some of him lived but the most of him died | |
(Even as you and I!) | |
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And it isnt the shame and it isnt the blame | |
That stings like a white hot brand | 30 |
Its coming to know that she never knew why | |
(Seeing, at last, she could never know why) | |
And never could understand! | |
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