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by Robert Service (1874 - 1958)

Grin
Language: English 
If you're up against a bruiser and you're getting knocked about —
⁠Grin.
If you're feeling pretty groggy, and you're licked beyond a doubt —
⁠Grin.
Don't let him see you're funking, let him know with every clout,
Though your face is battered to a pulp, your blooming heart is stout;
Just stand upon your pins until the beggar knocks you out —
⁠And grin.
This life's a bally battle, and the same advice holds true
⁠Of grin.
If you're up against it badly, then it's only one on you,
⁠So grin.
If the future's black as thunder, don't let people see you're blue;
Just cultivate a cast-iron smile of joy the whole day through;
If they call you "Little Sunshine," wish that they'd no troubles, too —
⁠You may — grin.
Rise up in the morning with the will that, smooth or rough,
⁠You'll grin.
Sink to sleep at midnight, and although you're feeling tough,
⁠Yet grin.
There's nothing gained by whining, and you're not that kind of stuff;
You're a fighter from away back, and you won't take a rebuff;
Your trouble is that you don't know when you have had enough —
⁠Don't give in.
If Fate should down you, just get up and take another cuff;
You may bank on it that there is no philosophy like bluff,
⁠And grin.

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Confirmed with The Spell of the Yukon and Other Verses, New York, Barse & Hopkins, 1907, pages 53-54.


Text Authorship:

  • by Robert Service (1874 - 1958), "Grin", appears in The Spell of the Yukon [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Stephen Lias (b. 1966), "Grin", 2007, copyright © 2007 [ baritone voice and piano ], from Songs of a Sourdough, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]

Researcher for this page: Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2019-11-10
Line count: 27
Word count: 224

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