Pansies (Lawrence)/Climbing Up
CLIMBING UP
When you climb up to the middle classesyou leave a lot behind you,you leave a lot, you've lost a lotand you've nobody to remind youof all the things they squeezed out of youwhen they took you and refined you.
When they took you and refined youthey squeezed out most of your guts;they took away your good old stonesand gave you a couple of nuts;and they taught you to speak King's Englishand butter your slippery buts.
Oh you've got to be like a monkeyif you climb up the tree!You've no more use for the solid earthand the lad you used to be.You sit in the boughs and gibberwith superiority.
They all gibber and gibber and chatter,and never a word they say comes really out of their guts, lad,they make it up half way;they make it up, and it's always the same,if it's serious or if it's play.
You think they're the same as you areand then you find they're notand they never were nor would be,not one of the whole job lot.And you have to act up like they door they think you're off your dot.
There isn't a man among 'em,not one; they all seemed to melike monkeys or angels or something, in a limitedliability company;like a limited liability companythey are, all limited liability.
What they're limited to or liableto, I could never make out.But they're all alike, an' it makes youwant to get up an' shoutan' blast 'em forever; but they'd onlythink you a lower-class lout.
I tell you, something's been done to 'emto the pullets up above;there's not a cock bird among 'emthough they're always on about love,an' you could no more get 'em a move onno! No matter how you may shove!