Good people keep their holy day,
They rest from labour on a Sunday;
But we keep holy every day,
And rest from Monday until Monday.
And yet the noblest work on earth
Is done when beggars do their part
They work, dear ladies, on the soft
And tender feelings in your heart.
First published in ' Collected Poems 1928' in 1928 by Jonathan Cape.
The opening line at least (and possibly the entire poem) is used (p16) in the 'True Travellers' - A Tramps Opera written by WHD and illustrated by William Nicholson, published by Jonathan Cape in 1923.
No current comment
Not currently allocated
These are my own selection of Davies' poems - most of which are used in the screenplay
These are Davies published collections. They are viewable in an epub format where possible.
Raptures 1918
Secrets 1924
A Poet's Alphabet 1925
The Song of Love 1926
A Poet's Calendar 1927
Ambition 1929
My Birds 1933
My Garden 1933
The Lovers' Song-Book 1933
Love Poems 1935
The Birth of Song 1936
The Loneliest Mountain 1939
Chapter V - A Tramp's Summer Vacation
Chapter V111 - A Prisoner his own Judge
Chapter X - The Cattleman's Office
ChapterX1 - A Strange Cattleman
Chapter X1X - A Voice in the Dark
Chapter XX1V - On the Downright
Chapter XXV1 - Rain and Poverty
Chapter XXV111 - On Tramp Again
Chapter XX1X - A Day's Companion
Beggars
can be read in epub version
A Weak Woman
can be read in epub version
A Poet's Pilgrimage
can be read online here
True Travellers - A Tramp's Opera
Later Days
can be read online here
The Adventures of Johnny Walker
Young Emma
Not yet available
Preface to Autobiography by GB Shaw
Osbert Sitwell
David Garnett
Helen Thomas
Poetry Wales
Jonathan Cape
Stonesifer
Thomas Moult - untitled book about him
Lawrence Normand
Barbara Hooper
Sylvia Harlow - W.H. Davies - A Bibliography
Currently unwritten.
The wikipedia bio is the best I know of online.
Currently unwritten.
Early Childhood
Teenage years
Twenties
Losing his leg
Currently unwritten.
London dosshouses
After first publication
Autobiography of a Supertramp
Sevenoaks
London
Meeting Helen Payne
Currently unwritten.
Around London
Nailsworth - Gloucestershire
Overview - not yet available
Currently not uploaded
Currently not uploaded