Poor John Shaw Neilson Poem by Francis Duggan

Poor John Shaw Neilson he died almost blind
But he was one who worked hardand was honourable and kind
At hard laborious jobs he earned his every pay
And nothing ever easy ever did come his way
He was a writer of literarynote
The Wimmera' Mallee's greatest ever poet
Honoured in Penola where he was raised and where he lived for years in the Town of Nhill
A natural poet with true wordsmith skill
He was one with words who surely had a way
In his poems John Shaw Neilson is living today
In nineteen forty two on his seventieth year in Melbourne he died
Far from his beloved Wimmera Mallee countryside
An honourable and good man who lived a pure life
He never had children or a partner or wife.