I Was A Little Lad, And The Older Boys Called To Me From The Pier: They Called To Me: 'Be A Sport: Be A Sport! Leap In And Swim!' I Leaped In And Swam, Though I Had Never Been Taught A Stroke. Then I Was Made A Hero, And They All Shouted: 'Well Done! Well Done, Brave Boy, You Are A Sport, A Good Sport!' And I Was Very Glad. But Now I Wish I Had Learned To Swim The Right Way, Or Had Never Learned At All. Now I Regret That Day, For It Led To My Fall. I Was A Youth, And I Heard The Older Men Talking Of The Road To Wealth; They Talked Of Bulls And Bears, Of Buying On Margins, And They Said, 'Be A Sport, My Boy, Plunge In And Win Or Lose It All! It Is The Only Way To Fortune.' So I Plunged In And Won; And The Older Men Patted Me On The Back, And They Said, 'You Are A Sport, My Boy, A Good Sport!' And I Was Very Glad. But Now I Wish I Had Lost All I Ventured On That Day - Yes, Wish I Had Lost It All. For It Was The Wrong Way, And Pushed Me To My Fall. I Was A Young Man, And The Gay World Called Me To Come; Gay Women And Gay Men Called To Me, Crying: 'Be A Sport; Be A Good Sport! Fill Our Glasses And Let Us Fill Yours. We Are Young But Once; Let Us Dance And Sing, And Drive The Dull Hours Of Night Until They Stand At Bay Against The Shining Bayonets Of Day.' So I Filled My Glass, And I Filled Their Glasses, Over And Over Again, And I Sang And Danced And Drank, And Drank And Danced And Sang, And I Heard Them Cry, 'He Is A Sport, A Good Sport!' As They Held Their Glasses Out To Be Filled Again. And I Was Very Glad. Oh The Madness Of Youth And Song And Dance And Wine, Of Woman'S Eyes And Lips, When The Night Dies In The Arms Of Dawn! And Now I Wish I Had Not Gone That Way. Now I Wish I Had Not Heard Them Say, 'He Is A Sport, A Good Sport!' For I Am Old Who Should Be Young. The Splendid Vigour Of My Youth I Flung Under The Feet Of A Mad, Unthinking Throng. My Strength Went Out With Wine And Dance And Song; Unto The Winds Of Earth I Tossed Like Chaff, With Idle Jest And Laugh, The Pride Of Splendid Manhood, All Its Wealth Of Unused Power And Health - Its Dream Of Looking Into Some Pure Girl'S Eyes And Finding There Its Earthly Paradise - Its Hope Of Virile Children Free From Blight - Its Thoughts Of Climbing To Some Noble Height Of Great Achievement -All These Gifts Divine I Cast Away For Song And Dance And Wine. Oh, I Have Been A Sport, A Good Sport; But I Am Very Sad.