The Demon Drink, A Poem, by William Topaz McGonagall

Oh, thou demon Drink, thou fell destroyer
thou curse of society, and its greatest annoyer


What hast thou done to society, let me think?
I answer thou hast caused the most ills, thou demon Drink


Thou causeth the mother to neglect their child,
Also the father to act as he were wild,


So that he neglects his loving wife and family dear,
By spending is earnings foolishly on whisky, rum and beer.


And after spending his earnings foolishly he beats his wife
The man that promised to protect her during life


And so the man would if there was no drink in society,
For seldom a man beats his wife in a state of sobriety


And if he does, perhaps he finds his wife fou',
Then that causes, no doubt, a great hullaballo;


When he finds his wife drunk he begins to frown,
And in a fury of passion he knocks her down


And in that knock down she fractures her head,
And perhaps the poor wife is killed dead,


Whereas, if there was no strong drink to be got,
To be killed wouldn't have been the poor wife's lot.................................................
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