FOLK COLLECTION 11: The Skaggs Foundation Cowboy Poetry Collection

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

87

Will H. Ogilvie

The Dingo of Brigalow Gap

For K.G. or coronet, kingdom or crown, The boyson Kalangada care not a rap; But the honour they ask for is galloping down The red and white dingo of Brigalow Gap.

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

91

Will H. Ogilvie

How the Chestnut Horse Came Home

Twenty miles across the ranges there's a patch of cane-grass clears Half-a-mile of tangled mulga; hides a score of native spears, While the horseman sings a love-song, with no shadow of his fate Till the stock-horse swerves and plunges

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

95

Will H. Ogilvie

A Draft From Tringadee

Lead me down to the stockyard, Jim, to the butt of the old boxo-tree! I would like to be there when they're yarding the bullocks from Tringadee. They were always beggars to rush and ring and rattle

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

99

Will H. Ogilvie

Taken Over

The Banks are taking charge, old man! I knew how it would be; The flags are flying half-mast high for death of Tringadee; The Boss has left; the boys are spread to all the winds -and so I think we'd better get the nags and asling the packs and go!

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

103

Will H. Ogilvie

The Station Brand

Ho! you in the boots and the long-necked spurs, You've a nice little hackney there! I rather fancy that brand of hers- Now, what will you take for the mare?

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

106

Will H. Ogilvie

Out of the Chains

He has toiled in his place since the break of day, And the collar has left its gall; When others were faint int he holding clay And heavy the burden and steep the way

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

109

Will H. Ogilvie

The Man Who Steadies the Lead

He was born int he light of red oaths And nursed by the drought and the flood, And swaddled in sweat-lined saddle-cloths And christened in spur-drawn blood; He never was burdened with learning,

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

113

Will H. Ogilvie

How the Fire Queen Crossed the Swamp

The flood was down in the Wilga swamps, three feet over trhe mud, And the teamsters camped on the Wilga range and swore att he rising flood; For one by one they had tried the trip, double and treble teams,

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

118

Will H. Ogilvie

The Near-Side Leader

When the gear is on the horsees and the knotted trace-cchains hooked; When the last bale's on the waggon and hte ropes are twitched and tied; When the brakes are off the big wheels and the way-bills safely booked, You can see the old gray leader

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

123

Will H. Ogilvie

The Silent Squadron

Down the long dream-lanes At the dead of night, With gray mists over and mists below, With loose-held reins On their horses white I watch where the silent riders go

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

125

Will H. Ogilvie

The Broken Shoe

Long years ago-no matter now how long- one fierce December I was travelling, weak and footsore, on a riverroad Out Back; I was sick at heart and weary of the world, and I remember How my tucker-bags were empty ont hat long starvation track

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

125

Will H. Ogilvie

The Broken Shoe

Long years ago-no matter now how long - one fierce December I was travelling, weak and footsore, on a river road OUt Back; I was sick at heart and weary of the world, and I remember How my tucker-bags were empty on that long starvation track.

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

135

Will H. Ogilvie

Riderless

A broken bridle trailling, A saddle scratched and scarred - And Brown Bee at the railing That rings the station yard; No stockman sits astride her, But, by those flanks afoam, Wild Terror was the rider

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

137

Will H. Ogilvie

Kings of the Earth

We are heathen who worship an idol We keep for our pleasure and pride, We are slaves of the saddle and bridle, yet kings of the earth when we ride!

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

139

Will H. Ogilvie

Unbroken!

Eyes wild with fear unspoken, Tossed manes and sweeping tails, Our thirty head unbroken Are safe behind the rails; Hard won from stony ridges

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

142

Will H. Ogilvie

How We Won the Ribbon

Come and look around my office - Floors are littered, walls are hung With the treasures and the trophics Of the days when I was young; Rusty spur and snaffle idle,

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

151

Will H. Ogilvie

Habet!

Down! And the world's war-squadron splashes Past, loose-reined, int he blood and the mire; Brown arms sweep and the bared steel flashes On to the goal of the Worlds desire. Down! By the war-steed's hot hoofs cowering

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

153

Will H. Ogilvie

The World Beyond

A Poet stood in the red day-dawn, And the dawn was more to his gifted eyes Than a songbird's call and a flush on the lawn When the night winds drop and the last star dies For he saw the Goddess of all sweet song

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

155

Will H. Ogilvie

Northward to the Sheds

There's a whisper from the regions out beyod the Barwon banks; There's a gathering of the legions and a forming of the ranks; There's a murmur coming nearere with the signs that never fail, And it's time for every shearer to be out upon the trail.

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

158

Will H. Ogilvie

Life's Overland

Grey-lying miles to the nor'ward of Nor'ward, Red-leaping leagues ot the westward of West, Further than keenest of sight follows forward, Further than boldest hearts ever guessed;

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

161

Will H. Ogilvie

At the Back O'Bourke!

Where the mulga paddocks are wild and wide, That's where the pick of the stockmen ride- At the Back o' Bourke! Under the dust-clouds dense and brown, Moving Southward by tank and town,

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

164

Will H. Ogilvie

The Song of Songs

Let others chang of battle and such wreaths as Glory gave; I would rather sing hte praises of the dew that dips the daisies, Of the wind that stirs the wattle and the foam that flecks the wave.

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

166

Will H. Ogilvie

At the Bend O' the Creek

Here is roaring flood in Winter When the storm-flag flies, And the quick-fire lightnings splinter Gold from night-black skies, And the rain-clouds gather, breaking

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

169

Will H. Ogilvie

West of the World

West of the World all red suns sleep On a fleecy carpet of crimson cloud, And the weary winds from the eastward creep to their shining goal on the wester steep In the golden arms of the starry crowd

Fair Girls and Gray Horses

FC 11 O-12

170

Will H. Ogilvie

A Scotch Night

If you chance to strike a gathering of half-a dozen friends When the drink is Highland whusky or some chosen Border blends, And the room is ufull of speirin and the gruppin' of brown han's, And the talk is all of tartans and of plaidies and of clans,