The Australian Sunrise Poem by James Lister Cuthbertson

The Australian Sunrise

Rating: 2.9


The Morning Star paled slowly, the Cross hung low to the sea,
And down the shadowy reaches the tide came swirling free,
The lustrous purple blackness of the soft Australian night,
Waned in the gray awakening that heralded the light;
Still in the dying darkness, still in the forest dim
The pearly dew of the dawning clung to each giant limb,
Till the sun came up from ocean, red with the cold sea mist,
And smote on the limestone ridges, and the shining tree-tops kissed;
Then the fiery Scorpion vanished, the magpie's note was heard,
And the wind in the she-oak wavered, and the honeysuckles stirred,
The airy golden vapour rose from the river breast,
The kingfisher came darting out of his crannied nest,
And the bulrushes and reed-beds put off their sallow gray
And burnt with cloudy crimson at dawning of the day.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
John Collinson 16 November 2009

After thr works of Henry Clarence Kendall, specially 'Bellbirds', this would be my favourite piece of Australian verse. The lyrical flow is almost music to the ear.

10 6 Reply
P.Lythall 25 January 2018

Beautiful word picture and so true

2 1 Reply
Elaine 05 August 2021

And i

0 0 Reply
Philip O'Leary 19 June 2021

Mr Campbell taught us this poem about 1950 at Croydon Public School

0 0 Reply
Louise Cook 08 February 2019

I too learnt this poem in high school in the middle fifties. Furthermore we sang it in the all girl school choir and I have long remembered being thrilled by the harmonies. I wonder if it was ever recorded.

3 2 Reply
Louise Cook 08 February 2019

I too learnt this poem, in high school in the middle fifties. Furthermore we sang it in the school choir and I remember being moved and thrilled by the harmonies. I wonder if it has ever been recorded.

4 1 Reply
E.Strutt 29 July 2018

This is a poem Iearned by heart in grade 6 in 1952 when I arrived in Australia from Scotland. I still love it.

4 1 Reply
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Close
Error Success