Sunday, September 8, 2013

The Only Way to Go Out

The author of this poem wrote most of the humorous dialogue (uncredited) for Yellow Submarine.


Let me die a youngman's death

not a clean and inbetween

the sheets holywater death

not a famous-last-words

peaceful out of breath death


When I'm 74

and in constant good tumour

may I be mown down at dawn

by a bright red sports car

on my way home

from an allnight party


Or when I'm 91

with silver hair

and sitting in a barber's chair

may rival gangsters

with hamfisted tommyguns burst in

and give me a short back and insides


Or when I'm 104

and banned from the Cavern

may my mistress

catching me in bed with her daughter

and fearing for her son

cut me up into little pieces

and throw away every piece but one


Let me die a youngman's death

not a free from sin tiptoe in

candle wax and waning death

not a curtains drawn by angels borne

'what a nice way to go' death


Roger McGough

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