"Yesterday upon the stair, I met a man who wasn't there. He wasn't there again today, Oh how I wish he'd go away." What is the origin of this little verse and who wrote it?
Question #37160. Asked by mermaidoz.
MaggieG
Answer has 3 votes
MaggieG
Answer has 3 votes.
Hughes Mearns. Antigonish 1899
Aug 05 2003, 6:32 PM
classictvnut
Answer has 5 votes
Currently Best Answer
classictvnut
Answer has 5 votes.
Currently voted the best answer.
This verse, titled "Antigonish" was written by William Hughes Mearns in 1899. William Hughes Mearns, better known as Hughes Mearns (1875-1965) was an American Educator and Poet. He wrote two books which are credited for fueling the educational trend of creative writing. A longer version of this poem, found on en.wikiquote.org starts and ends with the verse you cited but has this verse in between: "When I came home last night at three/The man was waiting there for me/
But when I looked around the hall/I couldn't see him there at all!/Go away, go away, don't you come back any more!/Go away, go away, and please don't slam the door... (slam!)"
