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John O'Brien's Poetry, by written

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  • Tangmalangmaloo
    The bishop sat in lordly state and purple cap sublime,
    And galvanized the old bush church at Confirmation time;
    30 lines, 1 comment
  • The Riderless Horse
    He comes when the gullies are wrapped in the gloaming,
    And lime-lights are trained on the tops of the gums,
    114 lines, 1 comment
  • Calling to Me
    Through the hush of my heart in the spell of its dreaming
    Comes the song of a bush boy glad-hearted and free;
    20 lines, 2 comments
  • Pitchin' at the Church
    On the Sunday morning mustered,
    Yarning at our ease;
    40 lines
  • The Tidy Little Body
    Faith, and little Miss McCroddie was the tidy little body,
    Just as trim and prim and handy as you'd ever wish to see
    27 lines
  • Teddo Wells Deceased
    Times I think I'm not the man-
    Must be some mistake.
    90 lines
  • Wisha, What is the Matter with Jim?
    "Wisha, what is the matter with Jim, I dunno?
    Is he right in the mind for this last week or so?
    21 lines
  • St Patricks Day
    'Tis the greatest splash of sunshine right through all my retrospection
    On the days when fairies brought me golden dreams without alloy,
    88 lines, 1 comment
  • The Libel
    "The flowers have no scent, and the birds have no song,”
    We read in the lesson before us,
    32 lines
  • The Road to Danahey's
    The rambling road to Danahey's it goes by hill and plain,
    It wanders in among the trees and wanders out again.
    68 lines
  • Sing Me A Song
    Sing me a song with the ring of truth in it,
    Sing me a song with the freshness of youth in it.
    14 lines
  • When the Circus came to Town
    When the circus came to town
    With its coaches and four, and its steeds galore,
    50 lines
  • His Father
    We meet him first in frills immersed,
    By everyone caressed and nursed,
    110 lines
  • The Church upon the Hill
    A simple thing of knotted pine
    And corrugated tin;
    60 lines
  • The Helping Hand
    When that hour comes when I shall sit alone,
    And ponder on the things that were, but are no more,
    40 lines
  • Vale` - Father Pat
    Yes, that's the hardest hand at all upon my frosted head-
    That telegram that brought the news that Father Pat is dead-
    88 lines
  • Josephine
    The presbytery has gone to pot since this house-keeper came;
    She's up-to-date and stylish; but the place is not the same
    76 lines
  • Norah O'Neill
    That Norah O'Neill is a sthreel,*
    And I’m talking the way that I feel,
    27 lines
  • The Careys
    Their new house stood just off the road.
    A fine big brick two-storey,
    132 lines
  • When Old Man Carey Died
    A night of wind and driving rain,
    No light on land or sky-
    52 lines
  • The Parting Rosary
    They have brought the news, my darlin', that I've waited for so long.
    Faith, 'twas little news they brought me; every story, every song
    70 lines
  • Laughing Mary
    With cheeks that paled the rosy morn
    She bounded o'er the heather,
    36 lines
  • Moryah
    “Wisha, where is he goin' to now
    With the hat on the back of the poll.
    35 lines
  • A Stranger in the Church
    'Twas Callagan who jerked the thumb-
    A mute, interrogating thumb-
    44 lines
  • Tell me, What''s a girl to do
    Tell me, what's a girl to do
    When the gossoons court and cozen?
    24 lines
  • The Wiree's Song
    The wiree sang that Christmas Day,
    A rippling, limpid, liquid lay
    36 lines
  • Said the white-haired priest
    Said the white-haired priest, "So the boy has come,
    And the old, old dreams are o'er you
    48 lines
  • Honeymooning from the Country
    To the rooms where I am dining in the glaring city's day
    Come the happy honeymooners from the country far away,
    54 lines
  • Making Home
    No, you don't quite get the meaning when the fun is at its height
    With the neighbours at the breakfast, and the world is warm and bright;
    77 lines
  • Come, Sing Australian songs to me!
    Come, Little One, and sing to me
    A song our big wide land to bless,
    68 lines
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