Hail! Childish Slave Of Social Rules

9My own way freely, and not yours;

10And, careless of a town's abusing,

11Seek real friendship that endures

12Among the friends of my own choosing.

13I'll choose my friends myself, do you hear?

14And won't let Mrs. Grundy do it,

15Tho' all I honour and hold dear

16And all I hope should move me to it.

17I take my old coat from the shelf -

18I am a man of little breeding.

19And only dress to please myself -

20I own, a very strange proceeding.

21I smoke a pipe abroad, because

22To all cigars I much prefer it,

23And as I scorn your social laws

24My choice has nothing to deter it.

25Gladly I trudge the footpath way,

26While you and yours roll by in coaches

27In all the pride of fine array,

28Through all the city's thronged approaches.

29O fine religious, decent folk,

30In Virtue's flaunting gold and scarlet,

31I sneer between two puffs of smoke, -

32Give me the publican and harlot.

33Ye dainty-spoken, stiff, severe

34Seed of the migrated Philistian,

35One whispered question in your ear -

36Pray, what was Christ, if you be Christian?

37If Christ were only here just now,

38Among the city's wynds and gables

39Teaching the life he taught us, how

40Would he be welcome to your tables?

41I go and leave your logic-straws,

42Your former-friends with face averted,

43Your petty ways and narrow laws,

44Your Grundy and your God, deserted.

45From your frail ark of lies, I flee

46I know not where, like Noah's raven.

47Full to the broad, unsounded sea

48I swim from your dishonest haven.

49Alone on that unsounded deep,

50Poor waif, it may be I shall perish,

51Far from the course I thought to keep,

52Far from the friends I hoped to cherish.

53It may be that I shall sink, and yet

54Hear, thro' all taunt and scornful laughter,

55Through all defeat and all regret,

56The stronger swimmers coming after.