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.

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or, eMail me if you wish to send me some Poetry.

This Page was last updated on July 26th, 2003.