WHEN I GET TIME

I’m going to do a lot of things

   When I get time;  

I’ll do ‘em complete, by jings!

   When I get time.

I’ve put ‘em off till by and by,

And day by day they multiply,

But I’ll just put ‘em on the fly,

   When I get time.

There’s scores of books I’m going to write

   When I get time;

Here’s legal battles I will fight

   When I get time.

There’s costly presents I will send,

A million dollars I will spend,

And wayward habits I will mend

   When I get time.

There’s bills galore that I will pay

When I get time;

An enemy or two to slay

When I get time.

I’ll square accounts with good and bad,

And soon forget the trials I’ve had –

O, won’t I be a poet glad!

When I get time.

I’ve set my mind on being good

When I get time;

I’ll be much better understood,

When I get time.

I‘ll write some interesting stuff,

O, speed that day with “time enough”!

But I can’t finish up this bluff,

   I haven’t time.

                                    JOE CONE

Pub. in Camb. Press

  Sept. 16, 1903