I saw a poet and a wise man
walking up the street,
the poet wore his dinner
and the wise man had bare feet.
Said the wise man to the poet
when each had looked my way,
What further proof is needed?
I’ve nothing left to say.
Then the poet nodded gravely
and the wise man wiped his brow,
as if their lives had meaning
and mine had none at all.

I saw a poor man and a rich man
walking up the street,
the poor man was unshaven
and the rich man was effete.
Said the rich man to the poor man
when each had looked my way,
What further proof is needed?
I’ve nothing left to say.
Then the poor man nodded gravely
and the rich man wiped his brow,
as if their lives had meaning
and mine had none at all.

I saw a Christian and a heathen
walking up the street,
the Christian clutched his wallet
and the heathen hated meat.
Said the heathen to the Christian
when each had looked my way,
What further proof is needed?
I’ve nothing left to say.
Then the Christian nodded gravely
and the heathen wiped his brow,
as if their lives had meaning
and mine had none at all.

I saw a blind man and a lame man
walking up the street,
the blind man bumped a lamp post
and the lame man cursed his feet.
Said the lame man to the blind man
when each had looked my way,
What further proof is needed?
I’ve nothing left to say.
Then the blind man nodded gravely
and the lame man wiped his brow,
as if their lives had meaning
and mine had none at all.

I saw a farmer and a sailor
walking up the street,
the farmer looked like lettuce
and the sailor smelled like peat.
Said the sailor to the farmer
when each had looked my way,
What further proof is needed?
I’ve nothing left to say.
Then the farmer nodded gravely
and the sailor wiped his brow,
as if their lives had meaning
and mine had none at all.

I saw a mother and a daughter
walking up the street,
the mother’s gait was soothing
and the daughter’s lips were sweet.
Said the daughter to the mother
when each had looked my way,
What further proof is needed?
I’ve nothing left to say.
Then the mother nodded gravely
and the daughter wiped her brow,
as if their lives had meaning
and mine had none at all.

I saw a thinker and a schemer
walking up the street,
the thinker was cartoonish
and the schemer was quite neat.
Said the schemer to the thinker
when each had looked my way,
What further proof is needed?
I’ve nothing left to say.
Then the thinker nodded gravely
and the schemer wiped his brow,
as if their lives had meaning
and mine had none at all.

I saw a halfwit and a donkey
walking up the street,
the halfwit ate spaghetti
and the donkey was discreet.
Said the donkey to the halfwit
when each had looked my way,
Much further proof is needed,
there’s so much more to say.
Then the halfwit nodded gravely
and the donkey wiped his brow,
as if my life had meaning
instead of none at all.