Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE PESSIMIST, by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN KING


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE PESSIMIST, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Nothing to do but work
Last Line: Can ever withstand these woes.
Alternate Author Name(s): King, Ben
Variant Title(s): The Sum Of Life
Subject(s): Cynicism; Pessimism


Nothing to do but work,
Nothing to eat but food,
Nothing to wear but clothes
To keep one from going nude.

Nothing to breathe but air,
Quick as a flash 't is gone;
Nowhere to fall but off,
Nowhere to stand but on.

Nothing to comb but hair,
Nowhere to sleep but in bed,
Nothing to weep but tears,
Nothing to bury but dead.

Nothing to sing but songs,
Ah, well, alas! alack!
Nowhere to go but out,
Nowhere to come buck back.

Nothing to see but sights,
Nothing to quench but thirst,
Nothing to have but what we've got
Thus through life we are cursed.

Nothing to strike but a gait;
Everything moves that goes.
Nothing at all but common sense
Can ever withstand these woes.






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