I heard, impassively, the doctors talk.

From that day, without crutch, I could not walk.

O, the sick-hearted times that took me then!

The days, like vultures, sat to watch me dying.

It seemed as if they lived to feed on men.

I found no work, it seemed so useless trying.

And I got sick of hearing doorbells ring:

Begging in London was a hopeless thing.

Once I had driven: I tried to get a job

At driving ’busses, but there wasn’t any;