With apologies to Lewis Carroll.

​

You are old father Julian the young man said

and you have a well-paid career.

Yet I struggle to earn a small living wage  

and have little prospects I fear.

 

In my youth, I worked hard and took a degree

in the law, which I studied for free.

As my salary and bonus are so very high

I continue to work like a bee.

 

You are aged I say and your face is quite covered

with the lines of many a year.

And yet you are popular with both women and men.

Pray, can you oblige with a steer.

 

Thanks to freedom of movement within the EU

I live in France, Spain and Ger-man-y

As a Gallivanter, I have something to say

Whilst you discuss sport and tv.

 

You own your house and much more besides

and have no mortgage to pay.

Yet you rent at high cost your other abodes.

Pray, what do you have to say?

 

In my youth, houses were cheap

thanks to rent controls and large building schemes.

With this help I built a huge portfolio,

that will finance my retirement dreams.

 

You are old I declare with a good pension too

and you spend all your days having fun.

I am young and quite poor with a large uni debt.

Can you tell what this is all for?

 

I have answered three questions and that is enough.

Don’t give yourself airs.

Do you think I listen all day to such stuff?

Be off or I’ll kick you downstairs.

 

 

Short version

You are old Father Julian, the young man said.

So I kicked him.