The wine of life

'When I've left off carin' the way I do,

For the things that's old an' the things that's new,

For the things that's happenin' every minute,

An' all the sights as the world's got in it;

When I've got no manner of use no more

For a song an' a yarn with my pals ashore;

When a ship's no more than a ship to me

An' there's nowhere left as I want to see;

When the fun's all flat an' the jokes all stale,

An' there ain't no taste in the cakes an' the ale -

You can stitch me up as soon as you like

In a corner o' wore-out sail,' said Mike,

'With 'olystones at my 'eels and 'ead,

An' dollop me overboard - I'll be dead!'