Poems (Merrill)/Stop Talkin'
STOP TALKIN'
When a feller gets his back up And his temper's in a muss; If he keeps a peckin' at ye— Tryin' hard to pick a fuss.—Jest ye go about yer bis-ness. 'Course its aggravatin'—but Half the row will be averted If ye'll keep yer talker shut!
Shut yer lips together firmly— Let the "other feller" groan,—Soon yell find the ranch deserted, For he will not fight alone. Ferocious bully'll prove a coward,— If ye swerve not from the rut Of yer staunch determination That yell keep yer talker shut!
Talkin' makes a heap o' trouble Out o' nothin', scandals great,—As one gossip, then another From the truth will deviate 'Till the color of the story Darker grows—I tell ye what, Wouldn't be so many heartaches If they 'd keep their talkers shut!
Talkin's right, if they would only Try to smooth the weary way Of some poor, lone, ship wrecked brother And a word of comfort say To the sick and weepin' dweller Of the rude and lowly hut.—Then, yes, then, the time is for ye Not to keep yer talker shut!
If ye try to see the many Virtues of yer feller men—And yer kindly acts uplift him— Ye are doin' nobler, then When to some heart yer words so cruel Gives a deep malicious cut.—If ye can't speak words of kindness Better keep yer talker shut!