The Tramp

Eloquent in poverty
staging life in comedy.
Scatterbrained his vagrant heart
immortalised in his art.

Keystone are his baggy clothes
impersonates life he knows,
hardship on the silver screen
once so poor he lives a dream.

Dignified a charming twit
bumbling in his genius wit.
He speaks in mime its charade
cinematically displayed.

Charlie’s – in his bygone age –
humour kept the world engaged.
In black and white days are gone
it was his stage how he shone.

©Jacqui Slade