Hi All,
As a result of sending some Poetry to some of my email correspondents, I
thought more of you may be interested in
a
Poetry Page.
Therefore, I will progressively add some Australian “Bush Ballads” and
other Poems; and if anyone cares to send me their favourite Poem or Poems, I
will add them to these Pages. Those here at present were written by 2 or 3
Australian Writers, all in the mid to late 1800s or early 1900s. I will add a
little of the Histories of these writers as we go along. We are pretty basic
for now.
As
a start, we have:
A couple of stories, firstly about an “Old Master”, a man with great
experience in his specific field; and as a comparison, a story about a Rank Amateur.
Then there is a little about the mathematics of the Party Political System.
A little on Baptism, for
the dedicated Genealogist; and how not to have a shave.
“Clancy of the Overflow” is a
very well known story of a Drover and a “wannabe Drover”. The
"Overflow" is a Cattle/Sheep Station [Ranch] in central New South
Wales in the vicinity of the Lachlan River. "The Cooper" is a
sometimes flowing River, that runs from the Western Queensland Channel Country
down to the sometimes filled and sometimes dry salt Lake Eyre. During the dry
periods Lake Eyre is often used for Land Speed Records. The Tar mentioned, is
probably Stockholm Tar, that was used in old time Shearing Sheds to dab on any
cuts or gashes caused [to the sheep] when the old hand Shears were in use.
There is a sad story of an
old horse, who couldn’t understand why his companion did not come to call
him to his work and a story about a Bushman that hoped he would make a fortune
from a “Snake-bite Antidote”
Another sad story is that of a Motoring Jaunt in the early Years of Motoring, another by C.J.Dennis, as are some of those "above".
Then there is a small tribute to "Cows"
for those, who may have been Dairymen, or, perhaps wished to be, like my
Father.
Now, finally in late February [2003], we have received some Rain, that has
partly broken the drought that has afflicted us for some years. So, we have a
"Song Of Rain".
I guess my favourite Australian Poet has to be C.J.Dennis.
C.J.Dennis, or “Den”, wrote a number or small books
of Poetry about a group of people from Melbourne, Victoria who lived in the
early part of the 1900s.
The main character was Bill, or as he called himself
Billo. He and his mates were generally a group of petty criminals, who lived
in the area around Little Lonsdale Street, in the inner suburbs of Melbourne,
that they called Little Lon. Bill, apart from being a petty criminal, casual
drunk and general brawler helped to support himself by occasionally going
off into the country and trapping Rabbits to sell at the markets. He saw a
girl called Doreen, who was a little bit more up market than Bill, as she
worked in a Pickle Factory. When Bill tried to chat her up, he was quickly
told where to go; but when later they were introduced [intrajuced in Bill’s
language] they got on well enough to eventually get married. Bill and Doreen
then had the opportunity to move to a farm, so Bill became a respectable Farmer;
and they had a son. Bill’s Story is told in “The Sentimental Bloke”; and there
is another Book about “Doreen”. During their “Courting Days”, Doreen, tried
to “improve” Billo; and they went to see “the
Play”, writ by Shakespeare.
Bill’s best friend was a wild Irishman, by the name
of Ginger Mick, whose story is told in “the Moods of Ginger Mick”. Mick was
probably more of a brawler than Billo; but when his Country needed him, joined
up [enlisted in the Army] and was killed at Gallipoli. Mick’s Girlfriend was
Rose, who lived in Spadger’s Lane, close to Little Lonsdale Street; and her
story is told in “Rose of Spadgers”.
Finally, when Bill was farming, he had an elderly couple
as neighbours, who were very sad and despondent. They had worked the farm
all their lives with the intention of retiring and having their son run the
farm; but, like Ginger Mick, he joined up and went to the War [that’s WW1];
and they didn’t know if he was still alive or not. Bill, however, happened
to run across a “bloke” he had known in his younger “larrikin” days, who he
had only known as “little Smith of Collin’wood”. Now “Smith” had returned
from the War, after having lost a leg. As most Australian troops are affectionately
known as “diggers”, his [Smith’s] Book is just called “Digger Smith”. Bill
introduces him to the old couple, which conveniently solves the problems of
the old couple and what Digger Smith is to do with the rest of his life.
So, Billo has, in
his later years, become everyone’s little helper. In “the Moods of Ginger
Mick”, we first run into Mick, after he has had a win at the races; and is
taking his lady friend, Rosie, out for
a meal at a Chinese Café.
And, if you are a little jaded and tired of the World, a little bit of Omar Khayyam's Advice may not go astray.
If you would like
to see a lot more of C.J.Dennis, try
this Link.
Then there is an adopted Australian Author, Will H. Ogilvie, who spent many
years in Australia; and wrote a great deal of “Bush Poetry”. However he also
wrote about his home, in England; and “The
Roman Wall” is one example, “The Plough”
and "The Riding Camel"
are others.
But, I guess my favourite English Poet is Kipling, with his love of “The Land”, another, being John Masefields "Cargoes".
I have just received [July 20, 2003] from Everitt Otis [Chet] Chesterman
this little gem, that I am sure will appeal to any Genealogist that has ever
searched through a Census.
And, now in December 2011, I have been "gifted", a Poem purportedly telling of the Origins and the Results of those Origins of many of the Smith Family. The Donor, who shall remain Anonymous has "Titled" his Contribution, "A Smith Myth". Here for your Pleasure, or otherwise.
When I was a young child, growing up during WW2, I recall a small Book of
War related Poetry published by the Courier Mail, in Brisbane. I think the
first Poem was called Fuzzy
Wuzzy Angels; and was about the Papuans, who carried the injured and wounded
Austalian Troops back across the Kokoda Trail to relative safety in port Moresby.
I often thought about this Poem, so did a "Google"; and uncovered
this Link. It is to the Poetry
Page of the WebSite of the Queensland Anzac Day Commemoration Committee.
When asking the Committee's permission to place this Link, they suggested
that if anyone is searching for Australian WW1 Soldiers, they may be interested
in their Publication "Digging
for Diggers".
So, I did another couple of "Googles"; and found a couple of "real"
Aussie Bush Poetry Sites. Firstly the "Perry
Middlemiss" Pages of Australian Poetry; and secondly the "Poet's
Corner", of the Australian Bush Poets Association Inc.
Return to "Genealogy" Home Page
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or, eMail me if you wish to send me some Poetry
This Page was last updated
on July 26th, 2003.