A RAGGED OLD MAN
As sung by Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin on "Starlight on the Rails: A Songbook" (2005)

A bearded old bum,
He sold trinkets and trifles,
And he lived in a flophouse
Till the end of his days.

He'd been on the stage,
Had once been an actor,
But now he sold flowers,
Or give them away.

Just a ragged old man,
And his ragged old doggy,
A ragged old life,
In a ragged old world.

Now a lady took a picture
To use in a contest,
Of him and his doggy
And it won the first prize.

His dog's name was Rags,
And she went to find them.
By the time that she found them,
The old man had died.

Just a ragged old man....

Just a ragged old man....

His name up in lights,
It's a long way to slide.
Trinkets and trifles
Might buy back his pride.

But I don't think these things
Should offend me or you.
This world is a stage
And we're all actors too.

Just a ragged old man....

Just a ragged old man....

A picture, you see,
It won the first prize.
The use of his hands
And the touch of his eyes
Were always so gentle
Although he was poor,
And he'd always know rags
By the ribbons he wore.

Just a ragged old man....

But I don't think these things
Should offend me or you.
This world is a stage
And we're all actors too.

Just a ragged old man....