Vonda Stanley's collection of early Australian bush poems

 

PEJAR CREEK 

 

Deep in the meadow grass

Easy stand the cattle,

Lightly lock the young bulls

In a mimic battle,

Pride gathers with each shock,

Every break and rally -

That’s where the Pejar runs,

Runs like a slip of silver through the valley.

 

Softly as a thrush sings

In the morning hushes,

Softly sing the waters

Round the reedy rushes,

Softly at the sand-bar,

Softly at the sally -

That’s where the Pejar runs,

Runs like a slip of silver through the valley.

 

Where awakes the morning

To dapple all the hills,

Where dewdrop, shaken,

Pendant slides and spills,

Where the golden bugles

Sunset calls reveille -

That’s where the Pejar runs,

Runs like a slip of silver through the valley.

 

Where the springtime blossoms

Like a mellow laughter,

Over all the grasses,

Over ridge and rafter,

Over all the tree-tops,

Down each ferny valley -

That’s where the Pejar runs,

Runs like a slip of silver through the valley.

 

Where the Pejar rises

Springs the Wollondilly,

Twinned upon the mountains

Babbling brook and ghyllie;

Where the bridge-heads rumble

Side by side they dally -

Out where the Pejar runs,

Runs like a slip of silver through the valley.

 

Mary Gilmore

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