My Wife's Second Husband.

[Bob Pacey]

My Wife’s Second Husband
Henry Lawson

The world goes round old mate
and I’m still in the swim.
While my wife’s second husband
is growing old and grim.

I met him in the city
it all seems very tame
He glances at me sometimes
as if I were to blame.?

Oh my wife’s second husband
was handsome young and true.
He had his boyish visions
I had my visions too.

He made a model lover
The greenest in the game
They say when I was married
That I was just the same.

Though I am getting older
my hair is dark today.
While my wife’s second husband
is quickly growing grey.

I drank when first he knew me
and he drank not at all.
I now see that he through drinking
is going to the wall.

A sweet ill treated woman
a drunken brute “ Good Lord “
Ah well she got her freedom
and he got his just reward.

He’ll fight it out a season
but fate will not be forced.
But my wife’s second husband
Shall surely be divorced.

I sympathise and wonder
What mutual friends will think.
If my wife’s second husband
and I should have a drink.

And I a mere bystander
It almost seems absurd.
Might lay prophetically my hand
On that of my wife’s third?

But my wife’s second husband
His sorrows shall forget.
We’ll grasp warm hand in friendship
And clink our glasses yet!

We’ll smoke cigars together
In a state of pure philosophy.
While calmly contemplating
The fate of number three.

[Heather]

Humour and satire can be found in many of Lawson's poems.

Heather