The Other Gum
Henry Lawson 1867 (Grenfell) – 1922 (Sydney)
Well Boory, I have read your “grin”,
And listened to your whine;
I only wish you’d sent it in
Before I printed mine.
You see, I never meant to hit
The new-chum Jackaroo;
I only tried to write a skit
On poets – such as you.
We’re sinners all – the world knows that,
But damned mean sinners some –
(The ‘possum you are barking at
is up the other gum).
But sneer in safety if you choose
I’ve no hand in the game;
I will not fight the crawlers who’s
Afraid to sign his name.
I never strike without a mark –
‘Tis safer in the end;
For he who hits back in the dark
Might chance to hurt a ‘friend’!
The game is stale, your jokes are flat,
You might as well be dumb –
(The ‘possum you are howling at
Is up another gum).
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 44 sec read
- 102 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABABCXCXDEDE FGFGHIHIDEDE |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 730 |
Words | 149 |
Stanzas | 2 |
Stanza Lengths | 12, 12 |
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"The Other Gum" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 31 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/18059/the-other-gum>.
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