Social Commentaries

Middleton's Rouseabout

by Henry Lawson 1867–1922

From In the Days when the World was Wide, and other Verses

Social Commentaries

Tall and freckled and sandy,
Face of a country lout;
This was the picture of Andy,
Middleton's Rouseabout.

Type of a coming nation,
In the land of cattle and sheep,
Worked on Middleton's station,
"Pound a week and his keep."

On Middleton's wide dominions
Plied the stockwhip and shears;
Hadn't any opinions,
Hadn't any "idears".

Swiftly the years went over,
Liquor and drought prevailed;
Middleton went as a drover,
After his station had failed.

Type of a careless nation,
Men who are soon played out,
Middleton was: -- and his station
Was bought by the Rouseabout.

Flourishing beard and sandy,
Tall and robust and stout;
This is the picture of Andy,
Middleton's Rouseabout.

Now on his own dominions
Works with his overseers;
Hasn't any opinions,
Hasn't any "idears".

MLA

Lawson, Henry. “Middleton's Rouseabout.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/lawson_h/3/.

Chicago

Lawson, Henry. “Middleton's Rouseabout.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/lawson_h/3/.

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