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1896
SPEAKIN’ in general, I ’ave tried ’em all— | |
| The ’appy roads that take you o’er the world. | |
| Speakin’ in general, I ’ave found them good | |
| For such as cannot use one bed too long, | |
| But must get ’ence, the same as I ’ave done, | 5 |
| An’ go observin’ matters till they die. | |
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| What do it matter where or ’ow we die, | |
| So long as we’ve our ’ealth to watch it all— | |
| The different ways that different things are done, | |
| An’ men an’ women lovin’ in this world; | 10 |
| Takin’ our chances as they come along, | |
| An’ when they ain’t, pretendin’ they are good? | |
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| In cash or credit—no, it aren’t no good; | |
| You ’ave to ’ave the ’abit or you’d die, | |
| Unless you lived your life but one day long, | 15 |
| Nor didn’t prophesy nor fret at all, | |
| But drew your tucker some’ow from the world, | |
| An’ never bothered what you might ha’ done. | |
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| But, Gawd, what things are they I ’aven’t done! | |
| I’ve turned my ’and to most, an’ turned it good, | 20 |
| In various situations round the world— | |
| For ’im that doth not work must surely die; | |
| But that’s no reason man should labour all | |
| ’Is life on one same shift—life’s none so long. | |
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| Therefore, from job to job I’ve moved along. | 25 |
| Pay couldn’t ’old me when my time was done, | |
| For something in my ’ead upset it all, | |
| Till I ’ad dropped whatever ’t was for good, | |
| An’, out at sea, be’eld the dock-lights die, | |
| An’ met my mate—the wind that tramps the world! | 30 |
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| It’s like a book, I think, this bloomin’ world, | |
| Which you can read and care for just so long, | |
| But presently you feel that you will die | |
| Unless you get the page you’re readin’ done, | |
| An’ turn another—likely not so good; | 35 |
| But what you’re after is to turn ’em all. | |
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| Gawd bless this world! Whatever she ’ath done— | |
| Excep’ when awful long—I’ve found it good. | |
| So write, before I die, “’E liked it all!” | |
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