Poem Description
The poem starts with the area in the grip of a drought, the worst since "the banks went bad"; a reference to the drought and banking crisis of the early 1890s. :''"If we don't get three inches, man,'' ::
Or four to break this drought, :''We'll all be rooned," said Hanrahan,'' ::
"Before the year is out." In time, the rains "drummed a homely tune" on "iron roof and window-pane". The problem then changed from drought to flood. "Banker" refers to a watercourse filled from bank to bank, unusual in Australia where many watercourses are
ephemeral or only intermittently full. :
And every creek a banker ran, ::
And dams filled overtop; :''"We'll all be rooned," said Hanrahan,'' ::''"If this rain doesn't stop."'' "In God's good time" the rain stopped and spring arrived with "harvest-hopes immense". The "knee-deep" grass, while good for feeding livestock, brought to mind the risk of bushfire. :''"There'll be bush-fires for sure, me man,'' ::
There will, without a doubt; :''We'll all be rooned," said Hanrahan,'' ::
"Before the year is out." ==Popular culture==
The Poem
SAID HANRAHAN :"We'll all be rooned," said Hanrahan, :In accents most forlorn, :Outside the church, ere Mass began, :One frosty Sunday morn. :The congregation stood about, :Coat-collars to the ears, :And talked of stock, and crops, and drought, :As it had done for years. :"It's lookin' crook," said Daniel Croke; :"Bedad, it's cruke, me lad, :For never since the banks went broke :Has seasons been so bad." :"It's dry, all right," said young O'Neil, :With which astute remark :He squatted down upon his heel :And chewed a piece of bark. :And so around the chorus ran :"It's keepin' dry, no doubt." :"We'll all be rooned," said Hanrahan, :"Before the year is out. :"The crops are done; ye'll have your work :To save one bag of grain; :From here way out to Back-o'-Bourke :They're singin' out for rain. :"They're singin' out for rain," he said, :"And all the tanks are dry." :The congregation scratched its head, :And gazed around the sky. :"There won't be grass, in any case, :Enough to feed an ass; :There's not a blade on Casey's place :As I came down to Mass." :"If rain don't come this month," said Dan, :And cleared his throat to speak-- :"We'll all be rooned," said Hanrahan, :"If rain don't come this week." :A heavy silence seemed to steal :On all at this remark; :And each man squatted on his heel, :And chewed a piece of bark. :"We want a inch of rain, we do," :O'Neil observed at last; :But Croke "maintained" we wanted two :To put the danger past. :"If we don't get three inches, man, :Or four to break this drought, :We'll all be rooned," said Hanrahan, :"Before the year is out." :In God's good time down came the rain; :And all the afternoon :On iron roof and window-pane :It drummed a homely tune. :And through the night it pattered still, :And lightsome, gladsome elves :On dripping spout and window-sill :Kept talking to themselves. :It pelted, pelted all day long, :A-singing at its work, :Till every heart took up the song :Way out to Back-o'Bourke. :And every creek a banker ran, :And dams filled overtop; :"We'll all be rooned," said Hanrahan, :"If this rain doesn't stop." :And stop it did, in God's good time; :And spring came in to fold :A mantle o'er the hills sublime :Of green and pink and gold. :And days went by on dancing feet, :With harvest-hopes immense, :And laughing eyes beheld the wheat :Nid-nodding o'er the fence. :And, oh, the smiles on every face, :As happy lad and lass :Through grass knee-deep on Casey's place :Went riding down to Mass. :While round the church in clothes genteel :Discoursed the men of mark, :And each man squatted on his heel, :And chewed his piece of bark. :"There'll be bush-fires for sure, me man, :There will, without a doubt; :We'll all be rooned," said Hanrahan, :"Before the year is out." John O'Brien ==References==