My Old Man Said ‘Follow the Van...’

Fred W. Leigh (1871-1924) and Charles Collins (1874-1923)

My Old Man Said ‘Follow the Van...’
‘i, sequere’ inquit erus ‘pantechnicon, impigra cursu.’     plaustrum abiit; veterem constat abisse domum. en sequor, en sequitur passer meus ille canorus,     sed pigra, sed pigro corde soluta vagor, nescio qua. vigili suffecto credere noli!     quae via sit, fallor; fallit adempta domus.
My old man said "Follow the van, And don't dilly dally on the way". Off went the van wiv me 'ome packed in it, I followed on wiv me old cock linnet. But I dillied and dallied, dallied and dillied Lost me way and don't know where to roam. Well you can't trust a special like the old time coppers When you can't find your way 'ome.

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

More poems by Fred W. Leigh (1871-1924) and Charles Collins...