FOLK COLLECTION 11: The Skaggs Foundation Cowboy Poetry Collection

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

184

Will Ogilvie

Only A Day

Brown honey-bees, drop to your pollen! Up, butterflies, into the sun! One day from Death's hand we have stolen, one hour from the dark we have won! Soon, all too soon,

remember, blossom, ring, blades, wine, greeting

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

185

Will Ogilvie

Moon Cry

A woman sat by a bed crooning the mother-croon, but the child cried "Give me the moon!" and would not be comforted. The moonbeams left the cot,

forget, sleep, dark, play, young

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

185

Will Ogilvie

Let Green Weeds Gather

Let green weeds gather in our garden ways, let summer suns burn down our favourite blooms, but let no happy-hearted brides and grooms cross the dear paths, for sake of those dear days,

homestead, tombs, friends, empty, heart, memory

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

186

Will Ogilvie

The Ingleside

When the shadows downward glide fancy rules the ingleside, and within the glowing fire lie the dream fields of Desire. Brighter than the lighted lamps

glow, lover, comrarde, flame, flowers

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

187

Will Ogilvie

The Old Boat

The Old Boat lies in the sand and slime and the sun is springing her planks; she is drifting away on the river of Time between Eternity's banks:

hope, gold, shade, wonder, trip, pleasure

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

188

Will Ogilvie

The Riddle Of Life

We ride from the East in the grey light; The curtains of night are withdrawn; The young leaves curl up to the daylight, the magpies are hailing the dawn;

noontide, hohllow, hillside, sin, forget, moon

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

189

Will Ogilvie

The Last Toast

They were our little playmates in the far-away cradle-days with their toddling gait and their lisping speech and their wonderful baby ways;

fair, wife, wine, laught, pearls, hemlock

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

190

Will Ogilvie

Memory Town

From dawning to dusk moves the crowd in her street with eyes looking upward, quick pulses that beat. and slow feet that loiter, and dumb lips that call

sunshine, regret, pavements, wistful, death

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

191

Will Ogilvie

The Secrets Of The Moon

I lie at night and watch her as she sails across the sky with the hidden joys and sorrows that we know not, you and I; And I watch her drifting onward

freight, friendly, brave, stars, cradles

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

193

Will Ogilvie

The Race Of My Heart

I have ridden in finishes fast and fine for many a purse and plate, from the coorong out to the Condamine, from Bourke to the Bogan Gate: But the race of my heart has a sunset

creek, whip, rein, troops, race

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

194

Will Ogilvie

Auld Lang Syne

O it's southward from Southampton! and she takes the Channel gay, but many a heart is bleeding as she stands across the bay; And it may be just a parting where we've known a hundred more,

ship, saloon, music, trip, restless, tears

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

196

Will Ogilvie

Vita Brevis

OUr life is but a moment: one sheen of silk and pearls; One dance between the daylights with a certain girl of girls; One feast of burning kisses,

death, rails, sunlights, despite, fails

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

197

Will Ogilvie

The Truest Friend

I had a comrade tried and true, shoulder to shoulder we fought life through; And whoever spoke light of his name to me had a foe to face and a sword to flee;

bright, toasts, careless, endure

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

198

Will Ogilvie

In Shadow Of She-Oaks

When my hour shall come, as it will some day, and the fetters of Death shall bind me, oh, it's out in the open Bush I pray that the angel of Death may find me;

weather, heather, pities, stalk, hawk, dies, lonely

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

199

Will Ogilvie

Grey Dawn

The dawnlight floods the far lands; The stars have ceased to shine. Sweep up the withered garlands, throw out the dregs of wine! Dear lips are hushed of laughter,

sad, idol, bridle, glid, hill, hope

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

200

Will Ogilvie

To Horse And Away

When sorrows come sobbing to clutch at the breast, when trouble comes robbing the heart of its rest; When cash columns addle

fray, devil, fortune, lonely, gay, hide

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

202

Will Ogilvie

The Bundle In The Shawl

In all the sorrow in the street that surges round us like a sea, in all the pity of bare feet, in all the pain of poverty, there seems to me no sadder sight

honour, lost, shame, sin, share

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

204

Will Ogilvie

Handicapped!

Life's race for all is even-lapped to watching eyes it seems; But how we may be handicapped the wide world never dreams, ah! well for those whose lot is cast

past, demand, dead, renew, family

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

205

Will Ogilvie

Below The Moon

The sunflowers dip toward the west and prudence with the daylight dies, and ah! we love the wild loves best below the moon, Blue Eyes! Blue Eyes!

twine, cry, God, forgive, sorrow, regret

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

206

Will Ogilvie

A Dreamer Of Dreams

The song-thrush loves the laurel, the sone-chat haunts the broom, but the seagull must have room where the white drift spins ashore and the winds and waters quarrel

labour, dream, dragon, kiss, wine, river

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

207

Will Ogilvie

The City Of Grey Griefs

Somewhere, hid in our hearts, a city stands grey-mossed with all the sorrow of the years, and broken-arched with love's unclasping hands and mortared stone to stone with bitter tears.

dead, god, peace, cruel love

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

208

Will Ogilvie

Laughter

Lend us Laughter, O gods, for our life is but vain; We are bruised by tis rods, we are galled by its chain. What doth patience avail, or the strength to endure

sleep, throne, sore, armour

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

208

Will Ogilvie

Tears

These are the blown spin-drift that is lashed from the face of the waters that cover the soul with care; These are the children of sorrow, these are the sons and the daughters

despair, desolate, cliff, conforter

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

209

Will Ogilvie

Love Ridden

He was sweated along in the heat all day, he was tied to the fence for hours, just became someone had something to say to a girl in the burnt sun-flowers.

hide, wrong, chestnut, horse, home

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

210

Will Ogilvie

Darrell

So I've taken his hundred notes in the end, and now, as I turn them over, I feel like a man who's been false to a friend, or has broken his troth to a lover.

dream, light, force, horse, worth