Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE BOSS'S BOOTS, by HENRY HERTZBERG LAWSON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE BOSS'S BOOTS, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The shearers squint along the pens, they squint along the shoots
Last Line: But pink 'em nice and pretty when you see the boss's boots.
Subject(s): Deception; Labor & Laborers; Sheep; Shoes; Work; Workers; Boots; Sneakers; Shoemakers


THE shearers squint along the pens, they squint along the shoots;
The shearers squint along the board to catch the Boss's boots;
They have no time to straighten up, they have no time to stare,
But when the Boss is looking on, they like to be aware.

The rouser has no soul to save. Condemn the rouseabout!
And sling 'em in, and rip 'em through, and get the bell-sheep out;
And skim it by the tips at times, or take it with the roots—
But pink 'em nice and pretty when you see the Boss's boots.

The shearing super sprained his foot, as bosses sometimes do,
And wore, until the shed cut out, one "side-spring" and one shoe;
And though he changed his pants at times—some worn-out and
some neat—
No "tiger" there could possibly mistake the Boss's feet.

The Boss affected larger boots than many Western men,
And Jim the Ringer swore the shoe was half as big agen;
And tigers might have heard and Boss ere any harm was done—
For when he passed it was a sort of dot and carry one.

But now there comes a picker-up who sprained his ankle, too,
And limping round the shed he found the Boss's cast-off shoe,
He went to work, all legs and arms, as green-hand rousers will,
And never dreamed of Boss's boots—much less of Bogan Bill.

And Bogan by his mate was heard to mutter through his hair:
"The Boss has got a rat today; he's buckin' everywhere—
He's trainin' for a 'bike', I think, the way he comes an' scoots,
He's like a bloomin' cat on mud the way he shifts his boots."

Now Bogan Bill was shearing rough and chanced to cut a teat;
He stuck his leg in front at once, and slewed the ewe a bit;
He hurried up to get her through, when, close beside his shoot,
He saw a large and ancient shoe, in mateship with a boot.

He thought that he'd be fined all right—he couldn't turn the yoe;
The more he wished the Boss away, the more he wouldn't go;
And Bogan swore amenfully—beneath his breath he swore—
And he was never known to pink so prettily before.

(Ye sons of sin that tramp and shear in hot and dusty scrubs,
Just keep away from "headin' 'em" and keep away from pubs,
And keep away from handicaps—for so your sugar scoots—
And you may own a station yet and wear the Boss's boots.)

And Bogan through his bristling scalp in his mind's eye could trace
The cold, sarcastic smile that lurked about the Boss's face;
He cursed him with a silent curse in language known to few,
He cursed him from his boot right up, and then down to his shoe.

But while he shore so mighty clean, and while he screened the teat,
He fancied there was something wrong about the Boss's feet:
The boot grew unfamiliar, and the odd shoe seemed awry,
And slowly up the trouser went the tail of Bogan's eye.

Then swiftly to the features from a plaited green-hide belt—
You'd have to ring a shed or two to feel as Bogan felt—
For 'twas his greenhand picker-up (who wore a vacant look),
And Bogan saw the Boss outside consulting with the cook.

And Bogan Bill was hurt and mad to see that rouseabout;
And Bogan laid his Wolseley down and knocked that rouser out;
He knocked him right across the board, he tumbled through the shoot—
"I'll learn the fool," said Bogan Bill, "to flash the Boss's boot!"

The rouser squints along the pens, he squints along the shoots,
And gives his men the office when they miss the Boss's boots.
They have no time to straighten up, they're too well-bred to stare
But when the Boss is looking on they like to be aware.

The rouser has no soul to lose—it's blarst the rouseabout:
And rip 'em through and yell for tar and get the bell-sheep out.
And take it with the scum at times or take it with the roots,
But pink 'em nice and pretty when you see the Boss's boots.





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