Pansies (Lawrence)/Don'ts—

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DON'TS———
Fight your little fight, my boyfight and be a man.Don't be a good little, good little boybeing as good as you can
and agreeing with all the mealy-mouthed, mealy-mouthedtruths that the sly trot outto protect themselves and their greedy-mouthed, greedy-mouthedcowardice, every old lout.
Don't live up to the dear little girl who costsyou your manhood, and makes you pay.Nor the dear old mater who so proudly boaststhat you'll make your way.
Don't earn golden opinions, opinions golden,or at least worth Treasury notes,from all sorts of men; don't be beholdento the herd inside the pen.
Don't long to have dear little, dear little boyswhom you'll have to educateto earn their living; nor yet girls, sweet joyswho will find it so hard to mate.
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Nor a dear little home, with its cost, its costthat you have to pay,earning your living while your life is lostand dull death comes in a day.
Don't be sucked in by the su-superior,don't swallow the culture bait,don't drink, don't drink and get beerier and beerier,do learn to discriminate.
Do hold yourself together, and fightwith a hit-hit here and a hit-hit there,and a comfortable feeling at nightthat you've let in a little air.
A little fresh air in the money sty,knocked a little hole in the holy prison,done your own little bit, made your own little trythat the risen Christ should be risen.

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