ALOOF from his tribe br On the elm-tree's top, br A jackdaw perched br A hand-reach up. br br Silent he sat br On the branch, nor stirred, br And I saw m him br A changeling bird. br br Grass was worn br Round pots and a pan, br A flea-bitten horse, br And a tilted van, br br Where tinker's or gypsy's br Brats at play br Made vagrant's game of br Some citizen's way. br br I watched the daw br On the branch, beguiled: br I saw a vagrant br From the wild. br br The entail broken br What had he? br The humour of one br Out of his degree. br br The franchise of one br Without kith or kind, br And only the pauper's br Single mind! br br The daws on the elms br Kept tribal speech, br And he perched there, br Within a hand's reach- br br He flew; his flight br Neither high nor wide br Was a vagabond's br To a seedman's stride.