by William Henry Davies (1871 - 1940)
Language: English
When I had money, money, O! I knew no joy till I went poor; For many a false man as a friend Came knocking all day at my door. Then felt I like a child that holds A trumpet that he must not blow Because a man is dead; I dared Not speak to let this false world know. Much have I thought of life, and seen How poor men's hearts are ever light; And how their wives do hum like bees About their work from morn till night. So, when I hear these poor ones laugh, And see the rich ones coldly frown Poor men, think I, need not go up So much as rich men should come down. When I had money, money, O! My many friends proved all untrue; But now I have no money, O! My friends are real, though very few.
Composition:
- Set to music by Michael (Dewar) Head (1900 - 1976), "Money, O!", published 1929, first performed 1928 [ voice and piano ], from Songs of the Countryside, no. 6
Text Authorship:
- by William Henry Davies (1871 - 1940), "Money", appears in Nature Poems and Others, first published 1908
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Researcher for this page: Robert Marks
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 146