“OH, blast all books!” I often sez,
. . . An’ wot I sez I means,
Espeshly when the boss hisself
Comes round an’ gives me beans
For bein’ ‘arf-asleep when ‘e’s
Too bloomin’ wide awike –
The boss ‘as got a way with ‘im.
That mikes a fellow quike.
Some day I’ll get the sack, I know. . . .
An’ when I’m in the blues
I dream I ‘ear the boss remark –
” I can’t ‘ave chaps that booze.”
An’ not a word ‘ave I to say,
So savage are ‘is looks. . . .
‘Tain’t no use tellin’ ‘im that I
Gets only blind on books.
I’m blimin’ no one but meself. . . .
Yet wot’s a chap to do
Who lives alone, an’ can’t mike friends,
An’ draws a rotten screw?
‘E ‘as no choice but beer or books
‘Is lonely nights to cheer. . . .
An’ sometimes when the mornin’ comes
I wish I’d chosen beer.
The pubs they shut at certain hours –
Which some folks think a shime –
But books keep open all the night,
An’ no one sings out ” Time!”
An’ when a chap ‘as got a thirst
For readin’ in ‘is ‘ead,
There ain’t no kind policeman for
To shove ‘im off to bed.
Oh, books are curious things! . . . They mike
The world so beautiful,
An’ folks so fine! . . . I wish I’d thought
That books was good at school.
“Oh, bless all books!” I often sez
When I gets ‘ome to tea. . . .
But in the shop it’s “Blast all books!”
For books ‘ave ruined me.
(John Joy Bell)
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Based on Topics: World Poems, Night Poems, Time Poems, Friendship Poems, Beauty Poems, Education Poems, Books Poems, Tea PoemsBased on Keywords: readin, hisself, mikes, quike