Slim Dusty - Written Afterwards lyrics

rate me

So the days of my riding are over,

And the days of my tramping are done

Im about as content as a rover

Will ever be under the sun;

I write, after reading your letter

My pipe with old memories rife

And I feel in a mood that had better

Not meet the true eyes of the wife.

You must never admit a suggestion

That old things are good to recall;

You must never consider the question:

Was I happier then, after all?

You must banish the old hope and sorrow

That make the sad pleasures of life,

You must live for To-day and To-morrow

If you want to be true to the wife.

By-the-way, when youre writing, remember

That you never went drinking with me,

And forget our last nights of December,

Lest our sevral accounts disagree.

And, for my sake, old man, you had better

Avoid the old language of strife,

For the technical terms of your letter

Will be misunderstood by the wife.

Never hint of the girls appertaining

To the past (when youre writing again),

For they take such a lot of explaining,

And you know how I hate to explain.

There are some things, we know to our sorrow,

That cut to the heart like a knife,

And your past is To-day and To-morrow

If you want to be true to the wife.

No doubt you are dreaming as I did

And going the careless old pace,

While my future grows dull and decided,

And the world narrows down to the Place.

Let it be. If my treasons resented,

You may do worse, old man, in your life;

Let me dream, too, that I am contented

For the sake of a true little wife

Sure gets lonesome here sometimes you

Sure could handle the pub meet a few of the mates

[From "Henry Lawson And 'Banjo' Paterson" March 1990

Barcoo Bill]