Cyril The Tramp Poem by Owen Cullimore

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