Wall and Desk Mottoes

by Don Marquis

These mottoes for your wall or desk are scattered throughout Don Marquis' The Almost Perfect State (1927). For more on the same theme, see Christopher Morley's essay On Laziness.

ALAS!
THE HOURS WE WASTE
IN WORK
AND SIMILAR
INCONSEQUENCE!
FRIENDS,
I BEG YOU,
DO NOT SHIRK
YOUR DAILY
TASK
OF INDOLENCE!

GIVE ME RUM
AND GIVE ME REST!
THAT IS ALL I ASK OF LIFE.
THOSE WHO THINK
THAT WORK IS BEST
ARE WELCOME TO THE TOIL AND
STRIFE!
GIVE ME REST AND GIVE ME RUM,
A PIPE,
AND TIME TO GO A-FISHIN';
I'LL ENTERTAIN THE DREAMS THAT
COME
AND MURMUR
"DEVIL TAKE AMBITION!"

I LOATHE THE MORAL
APHORISMS
THAT BID ME WORK AND NEVER PLAY!
I'D FLING THEIR WRITERS DOWN
ABYSYMS
COULD I BUT HAVE
MY GENTLE WAY!

WHO LOVES TO SOIL
HIS HANDS WITH TOIL
LET HIM STRAIGHTWAY GO TO IT!
MYSELF, I CAN'T ADMIRE THE ANT,
AND SHALL NOT TRY
TO DO IT!
I WILL NOT DRUDGE!
INDEED, I GRUDGE
THE TIME WORK TAKES -- 'TIS SILLY!
I WILL NOT SHIRK MY NOBLER WORK
OF BEING JUST A LILY!

THE GOLDEN-DAYS
WE WASTE IN TOIL
WILL NEVERMORE RETURN!
THE PROPER SORT OF MIDNIGHT OIL
WAS MADE TO DRINK,
NOT BURN!

IN SUMMER, SPRING, AND ALSO FALL
I DO NOT LIKE
TO WORK AT ALL.
IN WINTER,
AS YOU MAY HAVE GUESSED,
MY FAVORITE INDOOR SPORT
IS REST.

HEED NO MAXIMS
STALE AND OLDEN
THAT BID YOU GARNER
WORLDLY SPOIL!
SHAME UPON YOU FOR THE GOLDEN
HOURS YOU WASTE
IN SELFISH TOIL!