In the Days When the World was Wide and Other Verses

Middleton’s Rouseabout

Mar.—1890

Henry Lawson


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’.


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