1.
“The Quitter
When youre lost in the Wild, and youre scared as a child,
And Death looks you bang in the eye,
And youre sore as a boil, its according to Hoyle
To cock your revolver and . . . die.
But the Code of a Man says: "Fight all you can,"
And self-dissolution is barred.
In hunger and woe, oh, its easy to blow . . .
Its the hell-served-for-breakfast thats hard.
"Youre sick of the game!" Well, now, thats a shame.
Youre young and youre brave and youre bright.
"Youve had a raw deal!" I know -- but dont squeal,
Buck up, do your damnedest, and fight.
Its the plugging away that will win you the day,
So dont be a piker, old pard!
Just draw on your grit; its so easy to quit:
Its the keeping-your-chin-up thats hard.
Its easy to cry that youre beaten -- and die;
Its easy to crawfish and crawl;
But to fight and to fight when hopes out of sight --
Why, thats the best game of them all!
And though you come out of each gruelling bout,
All broken and beaten and scarred,
Just have one more try -- its dead easy to die,
Its the keeping-on-living thats hard.”