Shoot the Works By Berton Braley

Oh, "safe and sane" is a sound refrain,
And thrift is a gift that's splendid;
And prudence pays in a hundred ways,
And caution is recommended.
But now and then in the heart of men
There's need for more reckless phrases
When the die is cast and the pulse beats fast
And discretion can go to blazes!

There are times to makes any coin you stake
A matter of calm decision.
There are times to back with your total stack
Your wackiest hunch or vision.
There are times to look ere you leap a brook,
And times, when the floods are brimming,
To plunge and ride on the swirling tide
And trust to your skill in swimming.

Yes, it's well to wait and to calculate
And figure on circumstances,
But at times your verve and your nerve must serve
In a game where you risk your chances;
When prudence irks and you shoot the works
With never a qualm to bind you,
Your path made bright by the flaming light
Of the bridge you've burned behind you!