Bertha Lawson

In this article boutique poetry publisher Fine Poets quotes from the book “My Henry Lawson” by Bertha Lawson where she describes his life in the early 1890’s. Recordings of Henry Lawson’s poems by Australian actor Jack Thompson are available from finepoets.com.

Bertha Lawson writes in her book first published in 1943

“He was no sooner back in Sydney, than he had a serious disagreement
with his mother about a poem he wrote called "The Ghost," which
appears in "In the Days When the World was Wide." After that her
influence over him completely failed.

He spent the best part of the year 1890 living in third-class
hash-houses where he got good "copy" for his stories and verse. Then
he went to the country painting at 9/- a day and while there he
received an appointment on the "Boomerang" in Brisbane, which was then
edited by Grossly Lucian. The job was to take charge of the "Country
Crumbs" column. While there he wrote numerous verses over the pen-name
of "Joe Swallow."

But the "Boomerang" died at the end of six months. He described its
death in his verses, "The Cambaroora Star," some lines of which I
give, to show the pathos and humour which he could command. Charlie
Brown, in this poem was the owner of the "Star," whom the poet had
helped as a mate and fellow writer.

"Well, I didn’t shirk my promise and I helped the thing, I guess
For at night I worked the lever of the crazy printing press.
Brown himself would do the feeding and the missus used to "fly"
She is flying with the angels, if there's justice up on high.
He fought for right and justice and he raved about the dawn
Of the reign of man and Reason till his ads, were all withdrawn.
"Let them do their worst," said Charlie, "but I'll never drop the reins,
While a single sump of paper or an ounce of ink remains.
I've another truth to tell them, though they treat me like the dirt,
And I'll print another issue, if I print it on my shirt."
And the swells of Camboaroora talked of feathers and of tar,
When they read the final issue of the "Cambaroora Star."
Charlie took my hand in silence — and bye - and bye he said,
"Tom, old friend, we did our damnedest, but the brave old 'Star' is dead."
Then he stood up of a sudden, with a face as pale as death,
And he gripped my hand a moment while he seemed to fight for breath;
"Tom, old friend," he said, "I'm going and I'm ready now to start,
For I know that there is something — something crooked with my heart.
Tom, my first child died, I loved her - even better than the pen.
And while the 'Star' was dying, why, I felt like I did then.
Listen! Like the distant thunder of the rollers on the bar,
Listen, Tom! I hear the diggers — shouting "Bully for the 'Star'."

After the death of the "Boomerang," Harry returned to Sydney,
steerage, arriving with £2 in his pockets. That soon went. Times were
hard, with a financial depression over Australia. He became
disheartened, his clothes were threadbare. And he expressed his
crushed soul in verse. Two of his finest poems were written at that
time, namely, "When Yours Pants Begin to Go," and "A Prouder Man than
You." His spirit spoke in these lines and others like them:

"I think there's something noble and I swear there's nothing low,
In the pride of human nature, when its pants begin to go."

In 1892, he decided to go outback. His friend, J. F. Archibald came to
his assistance with a fare to Bourke and £5 in cash. From Bourke,
Harry swagged it to Hungerford with his friend Jim Grahame.”

The world of Henry Lawson is well captured in the CDs available from finepoets.com, The Campfire Yarns of Henry Lawson and The Poems of Henry Lawson.


Fine Poets
Publisher