FOLK COLLECTION 11: The Skaggs Foundation Cowboy Poetry Collection

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

147

Will Ogilvie

The Overlander

I knew them on the road: red, roan and white, cock-horned and spear-horned, spotted, streaked and starred; I knew their shapes moon-misted in the night

dreams, reins, prize, heart, motion, beasts

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

151

Will Ogilvie

Ben Hall's Stirrup-Irons

A lithe young squatter passes in the dust. His buckles gleaming and his bars aglance; But laden with long years of old romance the quaint old stirrups covered with red rust!

trust, stars, bound, journey, wild

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

152

Will Ogilvie

From The Gulf

Store cattle from Nelanjie! The mob goes feeding past, with half-a-mile of sandhill 'twixt the leaders and the last; The nags that move behind

queensland, flood, cattle, steer, spears, awake

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

154

Will Ogilvie

Kelpies

Out where the scrubs stand dark and dense and the great plains blaze in the sun, where the wide sheep-paddocks, unmapped, immense, reach out to the Queensland border fence-

dustclouds, glow, fancy, sheep, friends, fame

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

156

Will Ogilvie

Lothair

This is our trial horse, bred on the station, and ready to race with the young or the old, to flatter performance or spoil reputation as he sets them a pace to the tune he is told.

sand, dance, swear, mob, trial, dare, confident

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

157

Will Ogilvie

The Land Of Dumb Despair

Beyond where farthest drought-fires burn, by hand of fate if once befell, I reached the realm of No-Return that meets the March of Hell.

death, blood, curle, slake, fortune

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

159

Will 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;

loyal, pride, smoke, drink, broken, smile, street

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

161

Will Ogilvie

The Ballad Of Devil-May-Care

Well known on the Border; tall, handsome and straight; A reckless hard-liver, but true-hearted mate; What his name was I'm not in position to swear, but we called him-it suited him-Devil-May-Care!

death, sun, armful, careless, gay, roses

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

163

Will Ogilvie

The Plough

From Egypt behind my oxen with their stately step and slow Northward and East and West I went to the desert sand and the snow;

centuries, seaboard, kiingdom, ships

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

167

Will Ogilvie

The Storks

There's a quaint old Nor'land fancy and a legend that I love, of the white storks winging Southward through the msit, of a palace or a cottage

kiss, sunlight, sweet, dream

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

168

Will Ogilvie

Fairy Tales

I chanced on an old brown book to-day all stained and yellow with dust anda ge, but the beats of a boy's heart, stilled for aye, are heard at the turning of every page.

tongues, gold, maids, foolish

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

169

Will Ogilvie

Ribbons

To the show-ring children when the crowds are collected to cheer you O'er the fences in front of the stand, and when Heaven itself would seem near you

past, spoil, demands, donors, honours

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

170

Will Ogilvie

Baby's Trumpet

When baby blows her trumpet the elves of mischief ride, her eyes are lit with laughter, her cheeks are puffed with pride. What gift of cradle-fairies

quiver, fancy, marshalled, army, love, sake

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

171

Will Ogilvie

Three

Up at seven and down the stair to find that the sun is already there, that the grass is green and the sky is blue, and the fir tree fringed with morning dew,

rose, cranesbill, creep, children, free

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

172

Will Ogilvie

The Admiral

Low in his cushions, with wide blue eyes, our future English Admiral lies. With loving thought has his life been planned; He shall take his share of the seas' command.

dream, breast, sake, Spain, Dutch, snake

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

173

Will Ogilvie

A Lullaby

Lady Moon, O Lady Moon, here's a little sleepy girlie that must go to slumber soon! Won't you glide across the window on your shining silver wings,

diamond, cities, light, December, June, snow

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

174

Will Ogilvie

The Happy People

Do you know the Happy People? The really happy folk, who bear no woman's burden, who bend to no man's yoke? The happy, laughing people who chase on golden ways

witch, path, rejoice, gorgeous, harpers, kingdom

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

174

Will Ogilvie

To My Baby Girl

O, little heart that beats so close to mine, I pray for you that every heart be true which through the years shall worship at your shrine; May none betray,

rose, true, pray, heart

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

175

Will Ogilvie

The Barring Of The Gates

"Then there aren't any fairies at all, Mummy?" The Fairy King lies dead-Ring, ring the bluebells over him! Gather the beech leaves red for a winding

dear, heart, rainbow, moon, doubt

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

176

Will Ogilvie

A King Deposed

He sat in the darkness weeping by the gates of his Empire closed. A ruler stripped of his purple, a king form his realm deposed. They passed him, going to worship;

silent, cradle, nursery, sleep, palace, notice

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

177

Will Ogilvie

The Bringer Of Days

There are far places where she plays, and unguessed paths down which she strays; And once round-eyed, she said to me, "The postman brings the day!

smile, tears, hidden, joys, guile

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

177

Will Ogilvie

The Burning Of Summer

I heard a laugh in the leafless trees; I saw on the path of the open sky, Borne by the light October breeze, a blue smoke drifting by. A tiny maid in her waltz of cheer

dear, rose, smoke, child, memory

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

178

Will Ogilvie

The Apple Winds

I had no thought of stormy sky in days when I was small and all the world was bounded by our ten-foot garden wall. I never thought the storm winds came

apples, cold, chill, storm, sails

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

179

Will Ogilvie

Rainbows And Witches

I remember, ever so long alo, at the other side of the world away when rain would cease on an April day, when the mountain mists would roll and rise

gate, hill, fortune, beyond, hopeless, rainbow, eager

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

183

Will Ogilvie

For Beauty's Sake

There's never a Castle-tower so steep and the breath of her guns so warm but, if beauty lay bound in her dungeon-keep, the cowards of earth would storm;

fear, quest, kiss, love, golden hair, dear