WHEN I WAS A LAD

When I was a lad in Petherick

I often lay me down

And built a beautiful city

And called it London Town.

I filled its streets with heroes

Beautiful strong and wise,

Men who were kings and princes,

Women with kindly eyes.

I spent the gold of the charlock

For paving the city street;

I saw bright flags awaving

Over the billowing wheat;

And loud in the brown bee's buzzing

I heard the far-off hum

Of the mart and the busy merchants,

And the wharves where the big ships come.

When I was a lad in Petherick

I often lay me down,

And built this wonderful city,

And called it London Town.

Now I'm a man in London —

Golden dreams I had

Of a golden city of London

Long since when I was a lad.

Here on the long grey pavement

I seek that city still

But there is n't much gold in Fleet Street,

Or glamour on Ludgate Hill.

For the hurrying men look haggard,

And the women have weary eyes,

And the voices of pale-faced children

Mingle in fretful cries.

There's gold in the field of charlock,

There's gold on the billowing wheat,

And the bee sucks golden honey

In lanes where the flowers are sweet.

And small ships sail in the distance

To a golden bourne in the west,

And the gentle peace of twilight

Is the purest gold of rest.

Dreams of the man in London!

Useless dreams and sad,

Of the far-off village of Petherick

And the far-off Cornish lad.