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Treborlang
Australia
Roddy The Rooster & Friends
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Robert Treborlang Australia |
Roddy The Rooster & Friends |
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1922 - Poor Henry DiesDaddy Lawson, heavy drinker,Mummy Lawson, self-obsessed Little Henry, hard of hearing, For some reason feels depressed. Body fragile, make-up sickly, Schooling scanty, loves to write, Goes to Sydney from the goldfields, Harry's in for a rough ride. Earning wages almost zero, He is forced to live in slums, Deafness cleaves him from society It's create or twiddle thumbs. Too rebellious to join parties, Much too touchy to compete, Age of twenty finds him angry, Scribbles 'Faces In The Street.' Early glory in the papers, Poems read in town and bush, Hits on mates for yarns and drinking In a group called 'Mountain Push.' Workers, unions, social causes, Other themes are tramps and swags, Moves to Albany and Brisbane, Where he works on local rags. Dislikes Asians, blacks not fond of, Thinks the capital system bunk, Henry's into Truth and also into All the joys of getting drunk. Alcohol becomes important Breaks the silence, finds him voice, Not that life in th'Eighteen Nineties Gave a body too much choice. Body sickly, make-up fragile, Starts to drink at first by stealth, Goes to Enzed, works a sawmill, Really perfect for the health. Back in Sydney lives with mother, Who just puts the mockers on, Knocks up stories about 'Arvie, Battles Banjo Patterson. In a bookshop chats up Bertha, Love like art increases thirst, Harry now goes on a blinder, Writing, writing like one curst. Drover, stockman, shearer, rider, Barmaid, hooker, farmer's wife, People stories he produces As if carved with his pen-knife. Publication brings him stardom, Bertha he begs to be his bride, While mates want him to write another In The Days When The World Was Wide. After years of fighting deafness, Finding love just feels so good, Henry's sick of isolation, Sick of being misunderstood. Weds young Bertha, sails to West coast, Henry's drinking just gets worse, Works himself into a frenzy then writes militaristic verse. When their money vaporises And the West's slums get them down, Once more he returns to Sydney, Publication and renown. It's his book of best short stories, The result of troubled oils, One for which he's best remembered, Flashbacks While the Billy Boils. But success makes Henry thirsty Just as failure did before, Hal goes on another bender, Getting screwed up all the more. Hiding from the wary Bertha, Drinks but tries not to get caught, She thinks travel might just help him, 'Let's go to New Zealand, sport.' Teaches Maoris on South Island, With anxiety goes out of mind, While his wife's expecting Jimmy, Henry's drinking himself blind. Once again returns to Sydney, Once again success in books, And this time to vary drinking, Henry's lured by a woman's looks. Once again it's time to travel, Lawsons three set out at once, Sights are set this time on London And on the State Governor's punts. Liked in London, works successful, Sudden fortune makes him drink, Hates the English, needs the sunshine, Pushes wife to nervous brink. Nineteen oh three back in Sydney, Bertha, Henry, get divorce, Life is now just boarding houses, Drinking, poetry, remorse. Beethoven, Smetana, Goya, Lived identical deaf hell, Loved mankind but hated people, Letting go themselves as well. We've all seen him on the money, Thick moustache, eyes discontent, Fancy making Henry a symbol, He who never had a cent. Sure he wrote still, times changed also, Roaring twenties wanted fun. Who had time for social conscience? Henry Lawson's days were done. Died a pauper and neglected, Like the tramps who were his mate, With some irony, however, He scored a funeral of state. Folks avoiding Hal Monday morning Hoping he doesn't get too near, By Friday lunchtime at his burial Thronged to be close to his bier.
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Robert Treborlang Australia |
Roddy The Rooster & Friends |
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