Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ANY OTHER TIME, by ANDREW BARTON PATERSON


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ANY OTHER TIME, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: All of us play our very best game
Last Line: Any other time!
Alternate Author Name(s): Paterson, 'banjo'
Subject(s): Drinks & Drinking; Lies; Sea; Wine; Ocean


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" today!
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 tonight for we're twenty-nine --
Any other time.
Not tomorrow, 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-travelling 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!





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