Limerics and lyrics: lessons from my teachers

There once was a friend had I,
who told me one day,
too hard you try.
And though you may care,
others, they are not there,
and your time has been wasted, he dared.
I argued with him that day,
shouting out the attention that I pay,
is not more or less than the measure of great
and that I should never lower myself to less than that state.
And he replied
they know not what they know not,
and therefore they are not at that state.
Don't give it all away
All in one day
Show them enough such that they will sway
and ask you to come back, yet another day.