What the Overseer Told Me.
128
I remember 'twas fine sunny weather, with a blue sky and warm, scented air,
The horses pulled staunchly together, I had in the young chestnut pair,
And the track, like a ribbon gleamed whitely thro' the sand, or glowed red through the clay,
The wild hop shrubs bent to us lightly, the mallees arched over our way,
The horses pulled staunchly together, I had in the young chestnut pair,
And the track, like a ribbon gleamed whitely thro' the sand, or glowed red through the clay,
The wild hop shrubs bent to us lightly, the mallees arched over our way,
And through the still air all ashimmer with sunlight, and soft shifting haze,
We saw phantom water-lakes glimmer, then vanish and melt from our gaze;
It seemed to me like a land dreaming in silence, unbroken, and deep,
Not the silence of death, rather seeming the warm throbbing silence of sleep.
And when the crimson sun-splendour flushed the sky, like the cheek of a girl,
Then faded to pinks and greys tender that melted in opal and pearl,
You'd spy by a great rocky boulder a soft-footed grey kangaroo,
Then you'd long for a gun on your shoulder, or a horse and a good dog or two.
We saw phantom water-lakes glimmer, then vanish and melt from our gaze;
It seemed to me like a land dreaming in silence, unbroken, and deep,
Not the silence of death, rather seeming the warm throbbing silence of sleep.
And when the crimson sun-splendour flushed the sky, like the cheek of a girl,
Then faded to pinks and greys tender that melted in opal and pearl,
You'd spy by a great rocky boulder a soft-footed grey kangaroo,
Then you'd long for a gun on your shoulder, or a horse and a good dog or two.
