Cyril the Tramp

An old Tramp wandered around locally

When I was young man in my early teens

I used to see him daily wandering around in a daze

Dressed in an old dirty jacket and well worn out jeans

But what made him so memorable, I still think about him to day

Was what was with him was a Badger on an old black lead

With its short legs and Weasel like black and white stripped head

On a seat near an old railway bridge they would often stop to feed

Eating any scraps they found checking out local litter bins

Whatever they found would be their meal of the day

Sometimes they would sit there till night time came

Then they get up and go on their merry way

Where they would spend the night nobody knows

But they were always up bright and early and out on their round

Always walking along cheerfully Cyril whistling a tune

But Bertie his Badger making nary a sound

Passer’s by would just nod and wish them good day

Walk by with smile and a look of surprise and an inquisitive look

Occasionally  giving a few pennies as they went passing by

With Cyril and Bertie heading for the old brook

Where they could both par take a drink from the freshwater steam

Eat what morsels of food they to help them through the day

Sitting there silently admiring the view

Enjoying life in their own indomitable way

A more stranger couple it would be hard to find

But they never bothered anyone in their indomitable way

It was strange to see these two stalwarts of the road

One Human one Animal a strange combination to meet at any time of day

They got together on a dark late evening in December

Cyril wandering through the local woods on this winter’s night

Looking for shelter, just a place to lay his weary head,

When he heard this loud noise which gave him a fright

Investigating, he found Bertie caught in an old trap

He freed him immediately and used an old rag to bandage his wound

Then they spent the night together sheltering from the wind and the rain

From that time onward their relationship just bloomed

They have been together now for many a year

I see them quite often out and about on their walk

And always say hello with a smile and give Cyril a ten bob note

I wonder what Bertie would say if only he could talk