The Poor Ragged Schoolboy

The poor ragged schoolboy shuffled his feet

Over the cobbles that ran down their street

He had no father, no sister or brother

The poor ragged boy lived alone with his mother

His shirt was frayed, his trousers were torn

His boots were in tatters, the heels well worn

But for none of that did he blame his mother

She did her best, and could do no other

The ragged boys mother had struggled through life

She'd had plenty of troubles and plenty of strife

And now here she was taking washing from neighbours

To make a few pence from her daily labours

By scrimping and scraping she managed, someway

To make him a meal at least once a day

Though most days the meal was dripping and bread

He never complained, he was glad to be fed

The ragged boys mother lived for her son

He was all she had left in the world to dote on

And sometimes at night as she watched him asleep

She'd tuck in his blanket and kiss his young cheek

She just wished she had more to offer the lad

Their enforced way of life made her angry, and sad

Since her husbands death they'd struggled to live

And apart from her love, she had little to give

The poor ragged boy thought the world of his mother

And had never missed having a sister or brother

He just wished he was older, much nearer the age

When he could go out to work and bring home a wage

But he was only a poor ragged schoolboy aged eight

And so had many more years yet to wait

Before he could help her and hope to erase

That much worried look from his poor mothers face

She lived with her son in an unfurnished room

And with shabby lace curtains to shut out the gloom

She’d furnished the room the best she was able

With a bed, some drawers, two chairs and a table

On Christmas days the poor ragged boy

Never got presents, not even a toy

Though the poor ragged boy could understand why

His mother would sit at the table and cry

He'd put his arm around his poor mothers shoulder

And promise her faithfully, that when he got older

He would give her a Christmas she’d never forget

Though that promise was to be a long way off yet

Her long life of hardship was beginning to tell

She was finding it hard to do anything well

Her life was becoming a terrible strain

And confusion surrounded her once fertile brain

She was finding the days constantly tiring

But for her there could never be thoughts of retiring

She knew she would work 'til the day she died

And to that way of thinking she'd long been resigned

And the day finally came when she could take no more

She collapsed in her chair and fell to the floor

The poor ragged boy was at school for his learning

So she lay all alone, feverishly burning

When the poor ragged schoolboy came home that night

He found his poor mother and trembled with fright

He knelt down beside her in utter despair

Bewildered and shocked at finding her there

The poor ragged boy ran for help from next-door

And other neighbours were also sent for

They put her in bed and without any delay

Sent for the doctor to come straight away

The doctor arrived, and his quick diagnosis

Was that the ragged boys mother had tuberculoses

And when quizzed by the doctor, the boy had to agree

That her cough was persistent and she ate sparingly

She was really quite ill, was the doctors conclusion

And the boy should not be under any illusion

That his poor mothers illness would worsen for sure

Because for TB, they'd not yet found a cure

And the ragged boy's mother did get much worse

And the ragged boy's life became that of a nurse

He tended his mother from morning 'til night

Hoping and praying that she'd be all right

Each night he prayed, "Please don't take my mother"

"For I have no father, no sister or brother"

"Please dear Lord, don't leave me alone"

"If you take my mam I'll be all on my own"

His unwashed young face was lined with tears

Reflecting the thoughts of his innermost fears

The poor ragged boy knew his mother was dying

And instead of sleeping he spent his nights crying

One morning the ragged boy rose from his bed

And was suddenly filled with the most awful dread

He looked at his mother - and felt quite alone

She had died in the night, now he was on his own

The wretched young lad put his arm round her shoulder

"Don't leave me" he cried, "Cos when I get older.."

"I'll give you a Christmas you'll never forget.."

"Don't leave me mam, don't leave me just yet".

The tears ran down the young ragged boys face

For he knew, his mother, he could never replace

His tearful young face was filled with despair

As he held his poor mother and stroked her hair

He cradled her head as he lay by her side

"Poor mother, I love you so much" he cried

Now he had no mother to watch him asleep

Or tuck in his blanket, and kiss his young cheek

The ragged boys mother was laid to her rest

In the grave of a pauper, having been blessed

By the old parish vicar who was present that day

And then she was lowered deep into the clay

The poor ragged schoolboy shuffled his feet

Over the cobbles that ran down their street

He had no parents, no sister or brother

He was now all alone since the death of his mother

His shirt was frayed, his trousers were torn

His boots were in tatters, the heels well worn

But for none of that would he blame his dear mother

She had done her best, and could do no other

David Siddall, 1985

This poem is based on a memory of Edna Day

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