Booze: That’s Not All
ANNIE W. ERWIN
Booze! Let me say, there’s a great deal more;
There’s an arm that’s weak, a heart that’s sore;
There’s a home that’s filled with grief and woe.
And a wife that can tell of the brutal blow.
All? Why, no! There’s a job that’s lost;
There’s an empty purse that can meet no cost;
There’s a watch to pawn and things to sell,
And money to borrow for his thirst to quell.
That’s not all! There’s a demon’s curse,
There’s a child abused, a wound to nurse;
There’s a home broken up, a wife is crazed
To life-long toil and life’s joys erased.
All? Why, no! The half’s untold:
There’s a heart grown sick and limbs grown cold;
There’s a man gone down, and a substitute
That’s half a fiend and half a brute.
There’s a conscience scared with wild remorse,
And a grave being dug for a pauper’s corpse;
There’s a speedy trial, a verdict read,
And a wife that weeps as the doom is said.
A curse and a prayer with the gallow’s fall,
Intoxication was cause of it all.
O friend, be warned of this demon drink,
Or to ruin and disgrace you’ll surely sink.
The Voice of Temperance Scrapbook – 9 Winters of Prayers & Poems from Prohibition is a weekly journey through one of history’s most unique relics of faith and reform. This scrapbook, preserved across nine winters, blends heartfelt poetry with fervent prayers from the Prohibition era—a time when voices of temperance sought to guide communities toward sobriety, strength, and moral conviction. Each entry offers not only a glimpse into the spiritual and cultural mindset of the early 20th century, but also a window into how ordinary people used words to grapple with change, hope, and resilience.
Every week, we will highlight one poem and one prayer from the collection, pairing them with a touch of historical context and reflection. Whether you come for the rhythm of the verse, the quiet power of the prayers, or the curiosity of uncovering forgotten pages of the past, this series will celebrate the endurance of the written word and the human spirit through nine long winters of conviction and devotion.
In 1936 for nine winters “The Voice of Temperance” was broadcast over radio stations. Thousands of poems, newspaper clippings, excerpts of temperance addresses, and personal experiences we mailed to the author Sam Morris. Radio listeners copied or clipped most of them from books, magazines, or newspapers without giving their source or author. We had no thought of putting them into a book and so merely pasted them into a handy reference book. But so many requests had come for copies that we have collected those most often requested into this Scrap Book for wider distribution.
Naturally under the circumstances indicated above, it has been impossible to check up and secure the individual permission to publish each one; we have no desire to infringe upon copyright privileges or personal ownerships. We have indicated authorship where it was known and should there be any infringement upon copyright or personal ownership we shall be only too glad to correct the infringement in future editions.
With this brief explanation we send forth this unique Scrap Book with the prayer that its contents may contribute to the moral and spiritual betterment of human society.
Sincerely,
SAM MORRIS
“The Voice of Temperance”
