William Henry Davies

Here you will find the Poem No Master of poet William Henry Davies

No Master

Indeed this is the sweet life! my hand 
Is under no proud man's command; 
There is no voice to break my rest 
Before a bird has left its nest; 
There is no man to change my mood, 
When I go nutting in the wood; 
No man to pluck my sleeve and say -- 
I want thy labour for this day; 
No man to keep me out of sight, 
When that dear Sun is shining bright. 
None but my friends shall have command 
Upon my time, my heart and hand; 
I'll rise from sleep to help a friend, 
But let no stranger orders send, 
Or hear my curses fast and thick, 
Which in his purse-proud throat would stick 
Like burrs. If I cannot be free 
To do such work as pleases me, 
Near woodland pools and under trees, 
You'll get no work at all, for I 
Would rather live this life and die 
A beggar or a thief, than be 
A working slave with no days free.