Now this is a rhyme that might well be carried Gummed in your hat till the end of things:Say Good-bye when your chum is married; Say Good-bye while the church-bell rings;Say Good-bye—if you ask why must you, ’Tis for the sake of old friendship true,For as sure as death will his wife distrust you And lead him on to suspect you, too.
Say Good-bye, though he be a brother, Seek him not when you’re married, too—Things that you never would tell each other The wives will carry as young wives do.Say Good-bye ere their tongues shall strangle The friendship pledged ere the lights grew dim,For, as sure as death, will those young wives wrangle, And drag you into it, you and him.
Sources, publication & text notesReference details
Canonical recordPOEM-000452
Copy-textWhen I Was King and Other Verses (1905), Project Gutenberg Australia; selected copy-text retained exactly; substantive wording and line/stanza layout independently confirmed against SRC-000067 under D-180
While The Billy BoilsSearch