TO my fellow sinners all, who, in hope and doubt,
Through the Commonwealth to-night watch the Old Year out,
New Year-s Resolutions are jerry-built I know,
But I want to say to you, -Give yourselves a showâ?.
You who drink for drinking-s sake, love for lust alone,
Thinking heaven is a myth and the world your own-
Dancing gaily down to hell in the devil-s dance-
This I have to say to you: -Give your souls a chanceâ?.
You who drink because of shame that you think will last,
Or because of wrong done you-trouble in the past-
-Nothing left to live for now,â? you will say, I know;
But you have your own self yet, give that self a show!
You who want all things on earth-money, love, and fame
Having the advantage of worldly place or name-
You who have more than you want, even than you know,
In the glorious New Year give someone else a show.
You, the mischief-makers all, who in secret glee
Love to tell the villainies of a scamp like me;
There are things he-ll never tell-things you-ll never know-
Look into your own lives first-give the man a show.
You, the politician, who, for jealousy or gold,
Or for mean ambition, sell, or see your country sold,
Pandering to the hollow crowd, toadying to the low,
For shame-s sake banish selfishness-give your land a show.
Give Yourself A Show: New Year's Eve
Henry Lawson
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Poem topics: alone, dance, heaven, hope, lust, money, night, world, earth, place, chance, country, wrong, doubt, gold, secret, devil, live, watch, trouble, Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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