An Episode in the Life of the Poet while in the
Mounted, Police Force in Australia
Gordon, mounted, loq.
Ho ! you chap of grit and sinew,
Smoking in your pit,
Why thus labour discontinue?
Why your forehead knit?
Are you weary of the searching
For the Root of ill,
That you, like an idle urchin,
Play at sitting still?
I confess it hardish lines is
Not to earn a mopus :
Galling ne’er to get a Finis
Coronare Opus.
Catch this flask of old Jamaica
In your iron paw,
While I fill a pipe and take a
Seat to have a jaw.
Let me hitch my horse’s bridle
To this stunted tree :
Now, instead of one chap idle,
We can reckon three.
They have a jaw. Presently the Patrol rises to depart, and, loq.
Well ! there ‘s much truth underlying
That old growl I’ve heard.
I shan’t please you by replying,
Yet I’ll have a word.
Growl away, but live and labour
Till your race be run,
Helping every feeble neighbour,
Seeking help from none.
Life is mainly froth and bubble,
Two things stand hke stone ;
KINDNESS IN A NEIGHBOUR’S TROUBLE.
COURAGE IN YOUR OWN.
Though we chafe at duty’s rigour,
All is for the best.
You will work with greater vigour,
Having had a rest.
Fortune’s lap has prizes in it
Yet for you in store.
Who knows? In another minute
You may strike the ore.
Now I’m off with my old kicker,
On my daily task.
Stay ! Since you have paunched the
liquor,
Hand me back that flask.
(Adam Lindsay Gordon)
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Based on Topics: Life Poems, Fate & Destiny Poems, Literature Poems, Courage Poems, Running Poems, Poets Poems, Duty Poems, Idleness Poems, Compassion Poems, Smoking PoemsBased on Keywords: hitch, finis, jamaica, episode, opus, underlying, kicker, discontinue, paunched, mopus