| |
| YOU call yourself a man, | |
| For all you used to swear, | |
| An’ leave me, as you can, | |
| My certain shame to bear? | |
| I ’ear! You do not care— | 5 |
| You done the worst you know. | |
| I ’ate you, grinnin’ there…. | |
| Ah, Gawd, I love you so! | |
| |
| Nice while it lasted, an’ now it is over— | |
| Tear out your ’eart an’ good-bye to your lover! | 10 |
| What’s the use o’ grievin’, when the mother that bore you | |
| (Mary, pity women!) knew it all before you? | |
| |
| It aren’t no false alarm, | |
| The finish to your fun; | |
| You—you ’ave brung the ’arm, | 15 |
| An’ I’m the ruined one; | |
| An’ now you’ll off an’ run | |
| With some new fool in tow. | |
| Your ’eart? You ’aven’t none…. | |
| Ah, Gawd, I love you so! | 20 |
| |
| When a man is tired there is naught will bind ’im; | |
| All ’e solemn promised ’e will shove be’ind ’im. | |
| What’s the good o’ prayin’ for The Wrath to strike ’im | |
| (Mary, pity women!), when the rest are like ’im? | |
| |
| What ’ope for me or—it? | 25 |
| What’s left for us to do? | |
| I’ve walked with men a bit, | |
| But this—but this is you. | |
| So ’elp me Christ, it’s true! | |
| Where can I ’ide or go? | 30 |
| You coward through and through!… | |
| Ah, Gawd, I love you so! | |
| |
| All the more you give ’em the less are they for givin’— | |
| Love lies dead, an’ you can not kiss ’im livin’. | |
| Down the road ’e led you there is no returnin’ | 35 |
| (Mary, pity women!), but you’re late in learnin’! | |
| |
| You’d like to treat me fair? | |
| You can’t, because we’re pore? | |
| We’d starve? What do I care! | |
| We might, but this is shore! | 40 |
| I want the name—no more— | |
| The name, an’ lines to show, | |
| An’ not to be an ’ore…. | |
| Ah, Gawd, I love you so! | |
| |
| What’s the good o’ pleadin’, when the mother that bore you | 45 |
| (Mary, pity women!) knew it all before you? | |
| Sleep on ’is promises an’ wake to your sorrow | |
| (Mary, pity women!), for we sail to-morrow! | |
| |
