Classic Poem

Heigh ho! shamble and jog;
The hobo man with his stub-tail dog
Takes life somewhat as he takes the air:
He revels in nature with never a care
As to who may own it — he whistles and sings —
With none of the work nor worry it brings.
'T is little he cares what people may think,
Since nature has furnished him water to drink;
He can borrow his clothes and beg his food —
This raggedy, baggedy, highway dude.

The dog that follows the hobo man
Had grown a tail on a generous plan,
But being an hungered the hobo said —
Having heard how the man on a desert was fed:
" Dogs' tails are old-fashioned and obsolete! "
So he cut off the tail and devoured the meat, —
Like one who makes free with what is n't his own,
As the other had done — giving doggie the bone,
" For nature hath graciously furnished the food, "
Said the raggedy, baggedy, highway dude.

Said the stub-tail dog to the hobo man:
" We dine on a most economical plan!
Though oft I have followed it only to fail,
At last I 've succeeded in catching my tail! "
And the little dog laughed at the humor — ha! ha!
As he gnawed at the end of his vertebra!
" In accomplishing this, such a marvelous feat,
You have kept us alive, making both ends meet;
May we never again be cur-tailed of our food! "
Said the raggedy, baggedy, highway dude.