Henry Poem by John Fenton Mcleish

My poor old Henry lies in Waverley
Starvinghurst tenant, one hundred and three
Grenfell goldfields to Hungerford and Bourke
The monkey on his back could never shirk

Another genius succumbs to ale
Begging on the streets then to debtors gaol
While the billy boils mate tell me a tale
Adventures in the outback, desert trail

As dark and cynical as the stark bush
Alcoholism did his spirit crush
From the dawn and to the dusk wandering
Greatest Aussie poet, so amazing

My dear old Henry, one hundred and three
Lives forever in outback memory