THE END OF THE ROAD

THE END OF THE ROAD

In these boots and with this staffTwo hundred leaguers and a halfWalked I, went I, paced I, tripped I,Marched I, held I, skelped I, slipped I,Pushed I, panted, swung and dashed I;Picked I, forded, swam and splashed I,Strolled I, climbed I, crawled and scrambled,Dropped and dipped I, ranged and rambled;Plodded I, hobbled I, trudged and tramped I,And in lonely spinnies camped I,And in haunted pinewoods slept I,Lingered, loitered, limped and crept I,Clambered, halted, stepped and leapt I;Slowly sauntered, roundly strode I,And ... (Oh! Patron saints and AngelsThat protect the four Evangels!And you Prophets vel majoresVel incerti, vel minores,Virgines ac confessoresChief of whose peculiar gloriesEst in Aula Regis stareAtque orare et exorareEt clamare et conclamareClamantes cum clamoribusPro Nobis Peccatoribus.)Let me not conceal it....Rode I.(For who but critics could complainOf “riding” in a railway train?)Across the valley and the high-land,With all the world on either handDrinking when I had a mind to,Singing when I felt inclined to;Nor ever turned my face to homeTill I had slaked my heart at Rome.

In these boots and with this staffTwo hundred leaguers and a halfWalked I, went I, paced I, tripped I,Marched I, held I, skelped I, slipped I,Pushed I, panted, swung and dashed I;Picked I, forded, swam and splashed I,Strolled I, climbed I, crawled and scrambled,Dropped and dipped I, ranged and rambled;Plodded I, hobbled I, trudged and tramped I,And in lonely spinnies camped I,And in haunted pinewoods slept I,Lingered, loitered, limped and crept I,Clambered, halted, stepped and leapt I;Slowly sauntered, roundly strode I,And ... (Oh! Patron saints and AngelsThat protect the four Evangels!And you Prophets vel majoresVel incerti, vel minores,Virgines ac confessoresChief of whose peculiar gloriesEst in Aula Regis stareAtque orare et exorareEt clamare et conclamareClamantes cum clamoribusPro Nobis Peccatoribus.)Let me not conceal it....Rode I.(For who but critics could complainOf “riding” in a railway train?)Across the valley and the high-land,With all the world on either handDrinking when I had a mind to,Singing when I felt inclined to;Nor ever turned my face to homeTill I had slaked my heart at Rome.

In these boots and with this staff

Two hundred leaguers and a half

Walked I, went I, paced I, tripped I,

Marched I, held I, skelped I, slipped I,

Pushed I, panted, swung and dashed I;

Picked I, forded, swam and splashed I,

Strolled I, climbed I, crawled and scrambled,

Dropped and dipped I, ranged and rambled;

Plodded I, hobbled I, trudged and tramped I,

And in lonely spinnies camped I,

And in haunted pinewoods slept I,

Lingered, loitered, limped and crept I,

Clambered, halted, stepped and leapt I;

Slowly sauntered, roundly strode I,

And ... (Oh! Patron saints and Angels

That protect the four Evangels!

And you Prophets vel majores

Vel incerti, vel minores,

Virgines ac confessores

Chief of whose peculiar glories

Est in Aula Regis stare

Atque orare et exorare

Et clamare et conclamare

Clamantes cum clamoribus

Pro Nobis Peccatoribus.)

Let me not conceal it....Rode I.

(For who but critics could complain

Of “riding” in a railway train?)

Across the valley and the high-land,

With all the world on either hand

Drinking when I had a mind to,

Singing when I felt inclined to;

Nor ever turned my face to home

Till I had slaked my heart at Rome.


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