Classic Poem

VERSE 1

No woman yet has understood
We try our hardest to be good;
But something always seems to interfere.
No gratitude
Our attitude
Was ever known to win;
But still we persevere.
We do our best, as we have said,
The straight and narrow path to tread,
Ignoring temptations Fate may send.
But of snare the world has plenty, meant
To trap the man of sentiment;
And one is sure to get us in the end.

REFRAIN 1

Oh, it's a hard, hard, hard, hard world for a man,
For he tries to be wise
And remain aloof and chilly.
But along comes something feminine and frilly.
So what's the use?
He will run loose,
Though he does the best he can.
It's a hard, hard, hard, hard world for a man!

VERSE 2

The hist'ry books are full of tales
Of fellows who were perfect whales
At virtue when they started their career.
Sir Lancelot
To glance a lot
At girls was never known,
Till he met Guinevere.
Marc Antony, the records show,
Was like a chunk of driven snow,
But Cleopatra sent the poor man wrong.
And King Henry was a paragon
Till Catherine of Aragon
And six or seven others came along.

REFRAIN 2

Oh, it's a hard, hard, hard, hard world for a man.
He'd be good, if he could,
But he can't, and there's a reason:
For the skirts are getting shorter ev'ry season.
So what's the use?
He will run loose,
Though he does the best he can.
It's a hard, hard, hard, hard world for a man!