To Miss Mary A. Cox.
"What Care I, Who Cares for Me?" (1866)
Ballad.
by Septimus Winner, 1827-1902
(aka "Alice Hawthorne")

1.
  Time is flying, 
  our hopes denying,
Some are sighing that friends should die.
  I've not any
  among the many,
Why should I? then why should I?

  Life's a blessing
  not worth possessing,
  Friends are few
  whose hearts are true;
  Our beginning
  was full of sinning,
Life's a lie! the whole way through,

[CHORUS]
Yet what care I? What care I?
What care I for fate's decree?
What care I? What care I?
What care I who cares for me?

2.
  Vows are spoken,
  Tho' early broken;
Life's best token soon passes by,
  Friends are scattered,
  And hearts are shattered,
Vainly sighing, but why should I?
  Love they tell us,
  is blind and jealous,
  Hearts for gold
  are bought and sold,
  Man's a creature
  of fickle feature;
Woman too---if truth be told.

([CHORUS])

3.
  Doubts awaken,
  And faith is shaken;
Hearts forsaken that love too well.
  All the pleasure
  We learn to treasure,
Brings a sigh to break its spell.
  Truth confided
  to hearts divided,
Wakens care we fear to bear.
  Who would borrow
  from life her sorrow?
Love is lost, beware! beware!

([CHORUS])