A Breach Of Friendship

‘TIS friendship's test to guard the name
Of him you love from all attack,
As you are to his face, the same
To be when you're behind his back.

Now good old loyal Jimmy Green,
A traitor to you have I been;
As false as Arnold to my trust,
Your name I've trampled in the dust.
Last night I lingered out till two,
And said that I had been with you,
And then straightway my wife began
To prove to me that you're no man.
'What, out again,' said she, 'with Green!
No decent man with him is seen!
No man who valued much his home
With him would ever care to roam,
But for the children, long ago
His own wife would have quit, I know;
His only friends are loafers, who
Don't care what vicious things they do;
He'd steal, he'd lie, he's insincere.'
And all I said was: 'Yes, my dear.'

'Who else was with you, tell me pray?
Come, answer me, and right away!'
And then I muttered, 'Freddie Brown,'
And promptly turned poor Freddie down.
'What, Brown,' she screamed, 'that low-down thing
Who all his life has had his fling!

https://poetree.ca/post/61d540f2626b7970fbdb617e