To the New Year

To the New Year written by William Henry Davies

From "Farewell to Poesy", 1910

Link to further information

Welcome, New Year, but be more kind
Than thy dead father left behind;
If I may kiss no mouth that's red,
Give me the open mouth instead
Of a black bottle of old wine
To gurgle in its neck and mine.
Let not my belly once complain
For want of meat, or fruit, or grain;
But keep it always tight and quiet -
No matter if with drink or diet.
And, New Year, may I never need
In vain a pipeful of strong weed,
That sends my baby clouds on high
To join big brothers in the sky.
No gold I ask, but that I may
Have some small silver every day.
Not for one night let sleep forsake
My side, and show the Morning break;
Let me not hear Time's strokes in bed,
And feel the pain of one thought dead,
Who hears the earth cast in his grave.
I care not what poor clothes I have;
I'll only think it shame and sin
To show my naked thigh or shin
When the wind blows. Give me, New Year,
Tobacco, bread and meat, and beer.
Also a few old books, so I
Can read about an age gone by;
But as for how the present goes -
I'll thank the Lord the Devil knows.

This work is in the public domain in countries where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or less.