Tormented day and night by fleas, With but your shadow for a friend – Have you no wish that such a life Were coming to a quiet end? 'Had I no life there'd be no shadow, And worms would pick my bones,' he said; 'And shall I make that damned mistake, And wish that I were cold and dead? My fleas but bite, and keep me warm, And worms would do me little good; My shadow follows – though I swear And eat up all the bloody food!' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SONNETS OF MANHOOD: 50. MY LOVE by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) THE INDIAN SIGN by BERTON BRALEY HE WONDERS WHETHER TO PRAISE OR TO BLAME HER by RUPERT BROOKE THE BOY AND THE ANGEL by ROBERT BROWNING TO [THE REVEREND] MR. NEWTON ON HIS RETURN FROM RAMSGATE by WILLIAM COWPER |