How Long?

As long as lure o' placer gold
    Brings North the best ye breed,
As long as tales of camps and trails
    Are planted with your seed,
As long as red blood courses thru
    And warms adventure's sons,
They'll sally forth, bound for the North,
    Misfortune's chosen ones.

As long as snow slides claim their toll
    And glaciers split and rend,
And sweepers turn the flimsy craft
    And trails come to an end;
As long as flashing Northern Lights
    Flame in the Arctic sky,
Your boldest ones, your bravest sons
    Come North to win or die.

As long as lust of wealth obtains
    And gold will buy all things,
And bank accounts but mark the line
    'Twixt shovel stiffs and kings;
As long as fancy rides free reined
    And distant fields seem fair,
They'll seek the ship and make the trip
    To the land of Do and Dare.

As long as birds mate in the spring
    And moose run in the fall,
And widows win the college youth
    And hold his heart in thrall;
As long as chance for fortune's smile
    Can be centered in one throw,
This is the truth, the Nation's youth
    Will hear the call and go.

As long as water runs down hill
    And smoke goes up from fire;
As long as pleasure precedes pain
    And women love for hire;
As long as Klondike widows
    Trail thru Outside Cafés
Some one must stick on the lonesome creek
    For there's ever the "him" that pays.

As long as "huskies" curse the moon
    And creeks remain unnamed;
As long as quicksands mask the bar
    And there's placer ground unclaimed;
As long as "pay" is found and staked
    By some deep-sea-going Swede,
That gypsy trace that marks our race
    Will out, then we stampede.