The Wistful One

[embryomystic]

I sought the trails of South and North,
I wandered East and West;
But pride and passion drove me forth
And would not let me rest.

And still I seek, as still I roam,
A snug roof overhead;
Four walls, my own; a quiet home. . . .
"You'll have it - when you're dead."

-Robert William Service
Ballads of a Bohemian, 1921

Comments

[hobbitbabe]

If this does not have a tune, it should.

For no other reason than to rid me of an earworm of this which popped into my head as soon as I read this, despite taking all afternoon, singing on the cell-phone to my music authority in Kingston who remembered a few more words, and finally googling, before I could place it.

[embryomystic]

I'll add it to my long list of musical projects to embark on. No promises, but it is a poem that is quite dear to me.

Interestingly enough, I had to google it in order to figure out what it was and where it was from. I was pretty sure it was Robert William Service, and it had to be from one of the two books of his that I've read, but I had it as a text file with no title or credit.

[embryomystic]

It scans to 'Auld Lang Syne'. Try it out.

[bandraoi]

I have an old, old book of his poetry that used to belong to my paternal grandfather.

[embryomystic]

He is one of my very favourite poets. Ballads of a Bohemian and Rhymes of a Rolling Stone are wonderful. I haven't read his Yukon stuff, but I've heard selected bits recited.

[hobbitbabe]

I have a "Best of ..." collection, but I didn't remember any of the ones you've posted, just the Yukon ones. I should probably read it again.

[zumjay]

This is So. Incredibly. Awesome.

[embryomystic]

Look around for Ballads of a Bohemian, if you like that. The whole book is good. Hell, download it from Project Gutenberg, if you don't mind text files.