Back to the Palace

And Home to a stone

She travels the fastest

Who travels alone

Back to the pasture

And home to a bone

She travels the fastest

Who travels alone –

Back to all nothing

And back to alone

She travels the fastest

Who travels alone

But never worry, gentlemen

Because there’s Harry’s Bar

Afderas on the Lido

In a low slung yellow car

Europeo’s publishing

Mondadori doesn’t pay

Hate your friends

Love all false things

Some colts are fed on hay

Wake up in the mornings

Venice still is there

Pigeons meet and beg and breed

Where no sun lights the square

The things that we have loved are in the gray lagoon

All the stones we walked on

Walk on them alone

Live alone and like it

Like it for a day

But I will not be alone, angrily she said

Only in your heart, he said. Only in your head.

But I love to be alone, angrily she said.

Yes, I know, he answered

Yes, I know, he said.

But I will be the best one. I will lead the pack.

Sure, of course, I know you will. You have a right to be.

Come back some time and tell me. Come back so I can see.

You and all your troubles. How hard you work each day.

Yes I know he answered.

Please do it your own way.

Do it in the mornings when your mind is cold.

Do it in the evenings when everything is sold.

Do it in the springtime when springtime isn’t there

Do it in the winter

We know winter well

Do it on very hot days

Try doing it in hell.

Trade bed for pencil

Trade sorrow for a page

No work it out your own way

Have good luck at your age.

  • 1951 ‘Ernest Hemingway – Complete Poems’