Any Other Time
by
All of us play our very best game —
Any other time.
Golf or billiards, it’s all the same —
Any other time.
Lose a match and you always say,
‘Just my luck! I was ‘off’ to-day!
I could have beaten him quite half-way —
Any other time!’
After a fiver you ought to go —
Any other time.
Every man that you ask says ‘Oh,
Any OTHER time.
Lend you a fiver! I’d lend you two,
But I’m overdrawn and my bills are due,
Wish you’d ask me — now, mind you do —
Any other time!’
Fellows will ask you out to dine —
Any other time.
‘Not to-night, for we’re twenty-nine —
Any other time.
Not to-morrow, for cook’s on strike,
Not next day, I’ll be out on the bike —
Just drop in whenever you like —
Any other time!’
Seasick passengers like the sea —
Any other time.
‘Something . . I ate . . disagreed . . with me!
Any other time
Ocean-trav’lling is . . simply bliss,
Must be my . . liver . . has gone amiss . .
Why, I would . . laugh . . at a sea . . like this —
Any other time.’
. . . . .
Most of us mean to be better men —
Any other time:
Regular upright characters then —
Any other time.
Yet somehow as the years go by
Still we gamble and drink and lie,
When it comes to the last we’ll want to die —
Any other time!