The Vagabond
Give to me the life I love,
Let the lave go by me,
Give the jolly heaven above
And the byway nigh me.
Bed in the bush with stars to see,
Bread I dip in the river -
There's the life for a man like me,
There's the life for ever.
Let the blow fall soon or late,
Let what will be o'er me;
Give the face of earth around
And the road before me.
Wealth I seek not, hope nor love,
Nor a friend to know me;
All I seek, the heaven above
And the road below me.
Or let autumn fall on me
Where afield I linger,
Silencing the bird on tree,
Biting the blue finger.
White as meal the frosty field -
Warm the fireside haven -
Not to autumn will I yield,
Not to winter even!
Let the blow fall soon or late,
Let what will be o'er me;
Give the face of earth around,
And the road before me.
Wealth I ask not, hope nor love,
Nor a friend to know me;
All I ask, the heaven above
And the road below me.
Commentary
From “Songs of Travel and Other Verses”, published in 1896. Meant to be sung “to an air of Schubert”, though I don’t know which one.
Robert Louis Stevenson’s verse - energetic, enthusiastic and exciting - is in many ways reminiscent of his prose, and like his prose, it’s always fun to read. Readers looking for profound insight or gut-wrenching emotion are likely to be disappointed; equally, though, readers looking for metrical felicity and magical atmospherics are likely to be enchanted.
I often think of Stevenson as a mixture of Walter de la Mare and John Masefield: the former for his command of atmosphere, and the latter for his wanderlust. The romance of the open road plays a significant role in Stevenson’s writings, yet it’s always tempered with a sense of the beauty of stillness, of silence. And while RLS cannot (in all honesty) hold a candle to either de la Mare or Masefield, in many respects he does not miss by much: his poems rarely fail to capture the imagination, and, having captured it, to take it to places it’s rarely seen before.
— Thomas
PS. A quick comment on form: note how the steady rhythm of the hexameter drives this poem on, and gives it a vigour befitting its subject. Nicely done.
Links
Stevenson poems on the Minstrels:
Poem #20, “Requiem”
Poem #84, “From a Railway Carriage”
Poem #290, “Bed in Summer”
Poem #450, “Auntie’s Skirts”
The first of these has a biography and some critical information.
Walter de la Mare:
Poem #2, “The Listeners”
Poem #272, “Napoleon”
Poem #484, “Brueghel’s Winter”
Poem #725, “Silver”
John Masefield:
Poem #27, “Sea Fever”
Poem #74, “Cargoes”
Poem #555, “Trade Winds”
Poem #695, “Beauty”
Poem #702, “Night is on the Downland”
Poem #758, “Sea-Change”
The Poet’s Corner has many more poems by RLS, including the complete text of “Songs of Travel”1 and of “A Child’s Garden of Verses”2.
Show 22 commentsHide comments
From the Wondering Minstrels mailing list, 1999–2008.
Matthew Murray · 15 February 2003
On your page with the lyrics to “The Vagabond” by Robert Louis Stevenson, it says that the words should be sung “to an air of Schubert.” I’m not sure if that was the original intention, but I’ve sung the same words, by the same R.L. Stevenson, to a tune by someone else…I believe his name was Ralph Vaughn Williams, though I could be mistaken…anyway, it starts in c minor and has a key change (to e minor, I believe) at the bridge (“or let autumn fall on me…”), and then reverts back to its original key at the start of the last verse. Just thought you might like to know this. By the way, I sang this song for an Ohio Solo & Ensemble contest…it’s on the Class “A” required list. Thanks for your informative page. Matthew C. Murray
Ronribman · 17 February 2003
I never realized this was a poem. I learned it as a song when I was a school-child (60 plus years ago). The lyrics and the melody have, off and on, been rattling around in my head since, but until the age of the computer (when you could put in a few lines and locate the source in a couple of nanoseconds) I had no idea where they came from. I’m delighted to find the source. Thanks for posting it.
Ron Ribman
Johnny Cloesen · 20 September 2003
beste
enige jaren geleden kwam ik bij de wandelclub Ise Valley Vagabond een vriendin tegen die mijn een schild gaf met de begin worden van dit gedicht. heb mijn altijd afgevraagd of dit iets was wat zij had opgeschreven of wat? ben blij dat ik nu heel het gedicht ken. Het motto van de engelse wandelclub is vrienschap, en kijk eens wat de naam Vagabond teweeg brengt mensen van verschillende landen komen samen in een belgische cafe en door de moderne technieken kunnen zijn met elkaar in contact komen. ongelooflijk toch.
groetjes
vagabond for ever
johnny cloesen
LarryBelz · 24 October 2003
What is the meaning of he phrase, “Biting the blue finger.”?
FranktheSquibb · 30 December 2003
The Vagabond - comment.
I learned this song - set to music by Ralph Vaughan Williams - at Woodhouse Grammar School in 1955. Our music teacher was Miss Cook, and I can hear her thumping out the ‘dum-de-da-de-da’ introduction to this day.
The only recording I’ve come across - and it’s an excellent one - is one by the Welsh baritone Bryn Terfel on the Deutsche Grammophon label (1985), ref 445 946-2.
Armadillo Antiques · 4 February 2004
I believe “Or let autumn fall on me Where afield I linger, Silencing the bird on tree, Biting the blue finger” means this:
I am content to be in the field in autumn even though it (autumn cold) causes the birds to stop singing (or to fly south?) and turns my fingers blue with cold. Richard Butler
Adam Holden · 30 April 2004
I don’t know how old this page is and these comments, but I just wanted to point out to a previous commenter that the inscription “to an air of Schubert” was written on the original poem, but the song by Ralph Vaughan Williams is part of the cycle “Songs of Travel,” a set of songs from RL Stevenson’s poetry cycle Songs of Travel. There are other inscriptions, or dedications perhaps, on some of the other poems in his cycle, “To an air of Diabelli” and there’s one to Bach as well.
There is also another recording I’ve found, though haven’t listened to it yet, by Thomas Allen (bari) on the EMI label. It’s a compilation CD, with also the Shropshire lad by RVW and orchestral songs by Elgar and Butterworth.
guitarman · 12 June 2005
I think the poem stinks! It is the tale of a totally selfish bum! It speaks of an existence that leads no where, with no purpose……..not even a desire for love! Pure trash IMO
Perhaps value can be salvaged by making it the example of ‘what not to be…do…think..believe..etc
Hodgson John (FIN) · 14 September 2005
There is also a wonderful CBC recording of the Songs of Travel, sung by Gerald Finley.
yoshida · 6 October 2005
I found the verse in a facsimile book <The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady> by Edith Holden. She wrote down the verse on October in 1906 in her diary, <To an air of Schubert> is missing. Her diary witnesses the popularity of this poem. I suspect if she enjoys the Williams composition. I am a Japanese native to have some difficulty in understanding the verse. But I am relieved to know that <Biting the blue finger> is a bit obscure even to native connoisseurs.
Yoshida
Pereira · 6 November 2005
what does white as meal mean
Pereira · 6 November 2005
what doeswhite as meal mean
James M Grimes · 22 November 2005
To Pereira: think of the appearance of white corn meal or hominy - clumps of snow covering the stubbled fields in early winter.
My own favorite rendition of this poem is sung by Bryn Terfel - the great Welsh bass-baritone. The album is “Bryn Terfel - the Vagabond.” But I’d like to find the recording by Gerald Finley that John Hodgson mentioned.
Rachel Schaufeld · 29 November 2005
I remember learning this song at primary school in 1966. Our choir took part in an interschool concert where about 10 choirs performed in unison. I love the bleak independence of the lyrics.
rachie
TREVOR EMILLINGTON · 15 April 2006
I have also have this song going around in my head from learning it at TRENT BRIDGE school in 1956, i guess it will be with me till the end. TREVOR MILLINGTON.
Marq · 1 May 2006
Greetings,
My first introduction of the Songs of Travel came from a recording by Robert Tear.
I have just seen that there is a version with orchestra available. “The very best of English Song”.
Halket7 · 2 July 2006
I am coming from the same area as yourseslf, only this mornig it come into my head from nowhere else but my fadingg memory, My schooldays of sixty years ago was from where it was regurgitated, Thanks
Michel Wagemans · 20 October 2006
In a reaction to the question white as meal:
At this moment as an amateur singer i am working on the song cycle “Songs of Travel” by Ralph Vaughan Williams based on the poems by RL Stevenson.
Though sometimes the text is unclear to me the last question about “white as meal the frosty field” is not. I can only explain as
“white as flour the frosty field”. Being Dutch we have the word “meel” (similar to meal) and that means flour. It makes sence, a field covert in early frost, whitish as if powderd with flour.
The blue fingers were a mystery to me aswell. Thanks to a former writer to give his/her view on this.
Reading (or singing) the other verses gives more to wunder about.
Enjoy.
And yes, i love the Bryn Terfel recording too.
Anthony Ordman · 8 May 2007
Really helpful; need to learn the words for a performance this week end.
Thank you !
Anthony Ordman
LLOYD HYDE · 6 June 2007
This poem has been one of my favorites for many years, it was one of the poems of the upper division classes in my elementary school in Jamaica West Indies. Although, I was a student then in the lower division class there was always a sense of buoyancy when the lyrics of this poem touched my space. As you may have imagined it has been quite some time ago that this poet made an indelible mark on me with this magnificent poem. Thank you RLS for what is indeed a masterpiece.
Paul Woodring · 9 October 2007
An additional thought about “biting the blue finger.” Blue Finger is the common name for the plant senecio mandraliscae which is native to South Africa. Stevenson may have heard of, or even seen this plant in his many travels, and used it here to suggest a plant withered by frost. He may have favored this plant name because of the suggested idea of cold fingers, thus getting a kind of double-entendre. Just a thought.
John Grocott · 24 April 2008
Hi There,
Thanks for the link to Bryn Terfel and the 1985 recording of the Vagabond’s song.
I remember this song was often played on BBC radio around the fifties. It was a version by Peter Dawson, Australian barotone and I would love to get hold of any recording of the song as it takes me back to my early days at school.
I will keep on searching.
Best. John Grocott. London UK