Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE SWAGMAN'S FAREWELL TO MATILDA, by JACY HILL First Line: The swagman sat upon a log beside a waterhole Last Line: "matilda's ghost!"" he gasped, and fled, a madman through the night." Subject(s): Ghosts; Grief; Supernatural; Sorrow; Sadness | ||||||||
THE swagman sat upon a log beside a waterhole And eyed Matilda on the ground with anguish in his soul. He drew his hand across his eyes as far across the plain Came wafted down the forest aisles the whistle of a train. Again he looked to where she lay insensate on the clay, While slow the lengthened shadows barred the even of the day. He saw how shrunken was her form, how wrinkled, old and worn, And felt a tugging at his heart as if its strings were torn. "Farewell, Matilda! you have been my partner all these years Upon life's journey through the west, with all its smiles and tears; But now, alas! the times are changed, and this can never be, For where your form was welcome once you now meet obloquy." The swagman paused and bared his head beneath the darkened sky; Then raised Matilda in his arms and breathed a last good-bye. The brand of Cain was on his brow, but anguish in his soul, As, with a frenzied cry, he cast her in the waterhole. A startled night-bird gave a scream and flapped across his sight "Matilda's ghost!" he gasped, and fled, a madman through the night. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SONOMA FIRE by JANE HIRSHFIELD AS THE SPARKS FLY UPWARDS by JOHN HOLLANDER WHAT GREAT GRIEF HAS MADE THE EMPRESS MUTE by JUNE JORDAN CHAMBER MUSIC: 19 by JAMES JOYCE |
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