Songs, Ballads, and Other Poems by the late Thomas Haynes Bayly; Edited by his Widow. With A Memoir of the Author. In Two Volumes |
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 | Songs, Ballads, and Other Poems |  |
EXPERIENCE, OR THE WAY OF THE WORLD.
I
Once the Sage ExperienceWhispered to me,
“I will teach thee common sense;
“Listen,” quoth he.
So I put on a serious look,
Tho' I laugh'd in my sleeve at his lecture book.
And this is the way of the world.
234
II
“Covet not,” my mentor cried,“Any man's lot;”
Most demurely, I replied,
“Certainly not.”
And so next day I went to law,
With my neighbour about a stick or straw,
And this is the way of the world.
III
“Chuse your friends for sterling worth;“Wit will not do.”
“Oh!” I answer'd “nought on earth
“Can be more true.”
But worth was much too dull for me,
So I chose my friend, for a repartee,
And this is the way of the world.
IV
“Rather chuse a meal of herbs,“If Love's a guest,
“Than eat of gold, if Hate disturbs
“The splendid feast.”
“Most true,” said I, “love sweetens life,”
So for money I married a cross old wife,
And this is the way of the world.
V
Soon Experience cried out,“Listen to me!
“Words and deeds, beyond a doubt,
“Ought to agree!”
Said I, “Good words you are welcome to,
“But my deeds are to please myself, not you,”
And this is the way of the world.
| Songs, Ballads, and Other Poems | |