The Men We Might Have Been

The Men We Might Have Been

Original Text
Henry Lawson, Verses Popular and Humorous (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1900): 101-02. x.981/3738 British Library; PR 6023 A94H8 1905 Robarts Library
1When God's wrath-cloud is o'er me,
2    Affrighting heart and mind;
3When days seem dark before me,
4    And days seem black behind;
5Those friends who think they know me --
6    Who deem their insight keen --
7They ne'er forget to show me
8    The man I might have been.
9He's rich and independent,
10    Or rising fast to fame;
11His bright star is ascendant,
12    The country knows his name;
13His houses and his gardens
14    Are splendid to be seen;
15His fault the wise world pardons --
16    The man I might have been.
17His fame and fortune haunt me;
18    His virtues wave me back;
19His name and prestige daunt me
20    When I would take the track;
21But you, my friend true-hearted --
22    God keep our friendship green! --
23You know how I was parted
24    From all I might have been.
25But what avails the ache of
26    Remorse or weak regret?
27We'll battle for the sake of
28    The men we might be yet!
29We'll strive to keep in sight of
30    The brave, the true, and clean,
31And triumph yet in spite of
32    The men we might have been.
Publication Start Year
1897
Publication Notes
Bulletin; See Stone, 9
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
RPO 2001.
Rhyme