FOLK COLLECTION 11: The Skaggs Foundation Cowboy Poetry Collection

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

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

211

Will Ogilvie

His Gippsland Girl

Now, money was scarce an work was slack and love to his heart crept in, and he rode away on the Northern track to war with the World and wine; and he vowed by the locket upon his breast

pearl, free, union, shadows, flood

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

213

Will Ogilvie

The Township Lights

With laughter and love-spells and witch-eyes of blue a girl in the township is waiting for you. There is nothing that thrills like a handclasp of hers, so bridle your best horse and buckle your spurs;

smile, sky, die, creed, disporve, love

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

214

Will Ogilvie

Home By The Stars

When the lights of the township burn faintly and far and the noise of the dancers dies down at our back, then we coax a red glow to our final cigar, and the grey cocks his ears as he picks up the track

ban, forget, sea, sing, gate, dim, timber

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

216

Will Ogilvie

The Campfires

You may look in vain for the ashes of my campfires lone and apart, where the girls with the golden sashes brought rest to a rover's heart. In the calm and

fairy stories, lonely, sorrow, golden, reckless

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

217

Will Ogilvie

Good-Bye

Here, on the broken strings of Love's mute harp, across the withered flowers of all dead dreams, give me your hand and take my last farewell! One glance of love!-the last from those dear eyes!

embrace, western sky, dark, love, sweeet, bitterness

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

218

Will Ogilvie

Berinda's Wooing

No man upon the western side has acres half so rich or wide; No man upon the sunset plain has such a gentle winning smile, so true a heart,

vain, stolen, waves, sweet, art

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

219

Will Ogilvie

Forty Miles For A Kiss

We crossed our hands as old comrades do, with a light farwell at the dawn of day; But well we knew that love's adieu is taken in different mood and way

shade, sweet refrain, sympathy, steel

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

220

Will Ogilvie

"Perhaps To-Night-!"

"Perhaps to night-!" came flashing through the splendour of gleaming lights, and gems and faces fair; The touching hands, the whispers low and tender, the love-lit glances and the scented air;

dancers, meadow, vows, love

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

221

Will Ogilvie

The Land Beyond Good-Bye

Hand-in-hand we start with them through the sunny days, clasping hands we part with them at the parting ways. Letters come like homing doves, then cease to come;

trains, sorrow calls, pity, lost, pases, love

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

222

Will Ogilvie

The Rose Out Of Reach

A red rose grew on a southward wall, there was never a rose on the tree so tall; Though roses twined at my lingering fee, roses andr roses, scented sweet,

summer, wounds, blood, blow, speech

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

223

Will Ogilvie

Dead Roses

They lie in dim corners with dust on the leaves, each withered brown bloom with the story it weaves of sweethearts and sorrow, of doubt and despair- a gift from her girdle,

tear, cheer, fate, unconfessed, blossom

Saddle For A Throne

FC 11 O-13

224

Will Ogilvie

By Candle-Light

I went with my love by candle-light through the deep of the poplar grove; The moon looked down on the silver leaves and I looked down on my love.

path, free, love, dear, mutter, moth