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With stockwhip in his hand；
He reached at last； oh lucky elf！
The Town of Come…and…help…yourself
In Rough…and…ready Land。
And if it be that you would know
The tracks he used to ride；
Then you must saddle up and go
Beyond the Queensland side
Beyond the reach of rule or law；
To ride the long day through；
In Nature's homestead filled with awe：
You then might see what Clancy saw
And know what Clancy knew。
By the Grey Gulf…Water
Far to the Northward there lies a land；
A wonderful land that the winds blow over；
And none may fathom nor understand
The charm it holds for the restless rover；
A great grey chaos a land half made；
Where endless space is and no life stirreth；
And the soul of a man will recoil afraid
From the sphinx…like visage that Nature weareth。
But old Dame Nature； though scornful； craves
Her dole of death and her share of slaughter；
Many indeed are the nameless graves
Where her victims sleep by the Grey Gulf…water。
Slowly and slowly those grey streams glide；
Drifting along with a languid motion；
Lapping the reed…beds on either side；
Wending their way to the Northern Ocean。
Grey are the plains where the emus pass
Silent and slow； with their staid demeanour；
Over the dead men's graves the grass
Maybe is waving a trifle greener。
Down in the world where men toil and spin
Dame Nature smiles as man's hand has taught her；
Only the dead men her smiles can win
In the great lone land by the Grey Gulf…water。
For the strength of man is an insect's strength
In the face of that mighty plain and river；
And the life of a man is a moment's length
To the life of the stream that will run for ever。
And so it cometh they take no part
In small…world worries； each hardy rover
Rideth abroad and is light of heart；
With the plains around and the blue sky over。
And up in the heavens the brown lark sings
The songs that the strange wild land has taught her；
Full of thanksgiving her sweet song rings
And I wish I were back by the Grey Gulf…water。
Jessie Mackay。
The Grey Company
O the grey； grey company
Of the pallid dawn！
O the ghostly faces；
Ashen…like and drawn！
The Lord's lone sentinels
Dotted down the years；
The little grey company
Before the pioneers。
Dreaming of Utopias
Ere the time was ripe；
They awoke to scorning；
The jeering and the strife。
Dreaming of millenniums
In a world of wars；
They awoke to shudder
At a flaming Mars。
Never was a Luther
But a Huss was first
A fountain unregarded
In the primal thirst。
Never was a Newton
Crowned and honoured well；
But first； alone； Galileo
Wasted in a cell。
In each other's faces
Looked the pioneers；
Drank the wine of courage
All their battle years。
For their weary sowing
Through the world wide；
Green they saw the harvest
Ere the day they died。
But the grey； grey company
Stood every man alone
In the chilly dawnlight；
Scarcely had they known
Ere the day they perished；
That their beacon…star
Was not glint of marsh…light
In the shadows far。
The brave white witnesses
To the truth within
Took the dart of folly；
Took the jeer of sin；
Crying 〃Follow； follow；
Back to Eden gate！〃
They trod the Polar desert；
Met a desert fate。
Be laurel to the victor；
And roses to the fair；
And asphodel Elysian
Let the hero wear；
But lay the maiden lilies
Upon their narrow biers
The lone grey company
Before the pioneers。
A Folk Song
I came to your town； my love；
And you were away； away！
I said 〃She is with the Queen's maidens：
They tarry long at their play。
They are stringing her words like pearls
To throw to the dukes and earls。〃
But O； the pity！
I had but a morn of windy red
To come to the town where you were bred；
And you were away； away！
I came to your town； my love；
And you were away； away！
I said； 〃She is with the mountain elves
And misty and fair as they。
They are spinning a diamond net
To cover her curls of jet。〃
But O； the pity！
I had but a noon of searing heat
To come to your town； my love； my sweet；
And you were away； away！
I came to your town； my love；
And you were away； away！
I said； 〃She is with the pale white saints；
And they tarry long to pray。
They give her a white lily…crown；
And I fear she will never come down。〃
But O； the pity！
I had but an even grey and wan
To come to your town and plead as man；
And you were away； away！
Dunedin in the Gloaming
Like a black； enamoured King whispered low the thunder
To the lights of Roslyn； terraced far asunder：
Hovered low the sister cloud in wild； warm wonder。
〃O my love； Dunedin town； the only； the abiding！
Who can look undazzled up where the Norn is riding；
Watch the sword of destiny from the scabbard gliding！
〃Dark and rich and ringing true word and look for ever；
Taking to her woman heart all forlorn endeavour；
Heaven's sea about her feet； not the bounded river！〃
〃Sister of the mountain mist； and never to be holden
With the weary sophistries that dimmer eyes embolden；
O the dark Dunedin town； shot with green and golden！〃
Then a silver pioneer netted in the rift；
Leaning over Maori Hill； dreaming in the lift；
Dropped her starry memories through the passioned drift：
〃Once I do remember them； the glory and the garden；
Ere the elder stars had learnt God's mystery of pardon；
Ere the youngest； I myself； had seen the flaming warden
〃Once even after even I stole ever shy and early
To mirror me within a glade of Eden cool and pearly；
Where shy and cold and holy ran a torrent sought but rarely。
〃And fondly could I swear that this my glade had risen newly；
Burst the burning desert tomb wherein she lieth truly；
To keep an Easter with the birds and me who loved her duly。〃
Wailing； laughing； loving； hoar； spake the lordly ocean：
〃You are sheen and steadfastness： I am sheen and motion；
Gulfing argosies for whim； navies for a notion。
〃Sleep you well； Dunedin Town； though loud the lulling lyre is；
Lady of the stars terrene； where quick the human fire is；
Lady of the Maori pines； the turrets； and the eyries！〃
The Burial of Sir John Mackenzie
（1901）
They played him home to the House of Stones
All the way； all the way；
To his grave in the sound of the winter sea：
The sky was dour； the sky was gray。
They played him home with the chieftain's dirge；
Till the wail was wed to the rolling surge；
They played him home with a sorrowful will
To his grave at the foot of the Holy Hill
And the pipes went mourning all the way。
Strong hands that had struck for right
All the day； all the day；
Folded now in the dark of earth；
Veiled dawn of the upper way！
Strong hands that struck with his
From days that were to the day that is
Carry him now from the house of woe
To ride the way the Chief must go：
And his peers went mourning all the way。
Son and brother at his right hand
All the way； all the way！
And O for them and O for her
Who stayed within； the dowie day！
Son and brother and near of kin
Go out with the chief who never comes in！
And of all who loved him far and near
'Twas the nearest most who held him dear
And his kin went mourning all the way！
The clan went on with the pipes before
All the way； all the way；
A wider clan than ever he knew
Followed him home that dowie day。
And who were they of the wider clan？
The landless man and the no man's man；
The man that lacked and the man unlearned；
The man that lived but as he earned
And the clan went mourning all the way。
The heart of New Zealand went beside
All the way； all the way；
To the resting…place of her Highland Chief；
Much she thought she could not say；
He found her a land of many domains；
Maiden forest and fallow plains
He left her a land of many homes；
The pearl of the world where the sea wind roams；
And New Zealand went mourning all the way。
Henry Lawson。
Andy's gone with Cattle
Our Andy's gone to battle now
'Gainst Drought； the red marauder；
Our Andy's gone with cattle now
Across the Queensland border。
He's left us in dejection now；
Our hearts with him are roving。
It's dull on this selection now；
Since Andy went a…droving。
Who now shall wear the cheerful face
In times when things are slackest？
And who shall whistle round the place
When Fortune frowns her blackest？
Oh； who shall cheek the squatter now
When he comes round us snarling？
His tongue is growing hotter now
Since Andy cross'd the Darling。
The gates are out of order now；
In storms the 〃riders〃 rattle；
For far acr