The Vagabond (Davies)

The Vagabond written by William Henry Davies

From "My Garden", 1933

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Tormented day and night by fleas,
With but your shadow for a friend -
Have you no wish that such a life
Were coming to a quiet end?

'Had I no life there'd be no shadow,
And worms would pick my bones,' he said;
'And shall I make that damned mistake,
And wish that I were cold and dead?

My fleas but bite, and keep me warm,
And worms would do me little good;
My shadow follows - though I swear
And eat up all the bloody food!'

This work is in the public domain in countries where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or less.