The New Year

I’m going to start the new year right,

     Not as I’ve done before;

Whene’er i think of years agone

     It makes me rather sore.

I shall not swear off smoking now,

     Nor swear to mend my ways;

I shall not swear off penning prose,

     Or writing merry lays.

My language will be just the same,

     My gossip just the same;

I shall not swear off, as of yore

     A quiet little game.

For what’s the use? You know right well

     The strongest of us fall.

I’m going to start the new year right –

     I shall not swear at all.

Dec. 25, 1911