The Vagabond

Robert Louis Stevenson

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Robert Louis Stevenson (born November 13, 1850,
Edinburgh, Scotland—died December 3, 1894, Vailima,
Samoa) was a Scottish essayist, poet, and author of fiction
and travel books, best known for his novels Treasure Island
(1881), Kidnapped (1886), Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde (1886), and The Master of Ballantrae (1889).
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The ‘Vagabond’ was first published in
Robert Louis Stevenson’s poetry
collection ‘Songs of Travel and Other
Verses’ in 1896. This collection explores
the recurring themes in Stevenson’s
major works- travelling and adventure.
Stevenson travelled extensively and the
spirit of a wanderer is beautifully
presented in the poem ‘The Vagabond’.
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1
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,
lave: a flowing water
There’s the life for ever body (river)
byway: a side road
jolly: happy
nigh: near

Std.VII English The Vagabond 4 of 7

2
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.

• seek: to find

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3
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! afield: away from one’s usual surroundings
or
home
yield: (here) to surrender or submit to force
or
pressure
linger: to remain or stay in a place longer
than
usual or expected
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7
4

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.

blow: a stroke of
misfortune or calamity
frosty: very cold o’er:
over

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