Classic Poem

AUSTRALIA

" Z ACKY , my boy, come here and sit down,
Lev us touch a pipe for a bit;
The heat is enough to kill a chap
Down there in the stifflin' pit;
Come under the shade of the big gum-tree —
'Tis a purty place for to sit.

" Had any news from home, have 'ee, then?
A paper you used to receive. "
And Zacky was still for a brave long time,
Then he gave a sigh and a heave:
" I ha'n't heard now for ever so long,
But 'tis my fault, I believe.

" You see, I been goin' from place to place,
And 'twas hard to find time to write,
And when you've been working all day long,
You're 'most too tired at night. "
And Zacky was still again for a while —
" Here, comrade, give me a light.

" And so they didn't know where to send,
It must be three months or so;
But let me see — why, 'tis more than that,
Well, how quick the time do go!
'Tis nearer six months since I wrote home;
The post's so far off, you know.

" But I wrote to mother yesterday " —
And Zacky wiped off a tear,
" And I sent her a present, a lumpin' sum
That will keep her half a year;
I know it will make her old heart sing —
God bless her, I wish she was here.

" 'Twas a dream I had — 'twill do 'ee good
For to hear what I've got to say —
For all I do feel a bit ashamed,
I'm feelin' better to-day;
And you know, comrade, how easy it is
To forget when folks is away.

" Well, you mind the little place at home, —
There's just a bit of a lane
Going down from the road, the left-hand side, —
I could see it all so plain.
And mother, she stood in the cottage door,
And her face was full of pain.

" The garden was all in sun and shade,
'Twas such a beautiful day;
The lark sung up in the blue, blue sky;
I could smell the scent of the hay;
And the postman was comin' down the lane,
A-hurryin' on his way.

" And mother, she lifted up her face,
And waited till he come near;
But he went on. " There's nothing for you.
I'm sorry, Mrs Tregeare,"
For he saw the grief that filled her eyes —
God bless 'ee, mother dear.

" And then she went into the little room,
And she stood by the fireplace —
Her hair's turned grey, and the lines gone deep
Since last I saw her face.
And then she lifted her hand and took
A photograph out of a case.

" 'Twas a thing that I sent her years ago,
And she brought it into the light;
She looked at it with a bitten lip,
And I saw that her face was white,
And she sighed as she kissed it tenderly,
" I wonder if he's all right!"

" So I wrote to mother yesterday, "
And Zacky wiped off a tear,
" And sent her a present, a lumpin' sum,
That will keep her half a year,
And I'm going to write her again next mail —
God bless 'ee, mother dear! "