Billy Barlow In Australia Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBBB CCDDBB EEBBBB FFGGBB HHBBBB HHIIBB JJBBBB KLIIBB IIMMBB IIBBBB NOBBBB PPKKBB QRBBBB GGSTBB UUBBBB VVWWBB| When I was at home I was down on my luck | A |
| And I earned a poor living by drawing a truck | A |
| But old aunt died and left me a thousand Oh oh | B |
| I'll start on my travels said Billy Barlow | B |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| So off to Australia came Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| When to Sydney I got there a merchant I met | C |
| Who said he would teach me a fortune to get | C |
| He'd cattle and sheep past the colony's bounds | D |
| Which he sold with the station for my thousand pounds | D |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| He gammon'd the cash out of Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| When the bargain was struck and the money was paid | E |
| He said My dear fellow your fortune is made | E |
| I can furnish supplies for the station you know | B |
| And your bill is sufficient good Mr Barlow | B |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| A gentleman settler was Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| So I got my supplies and I gave him my bill | F |
| And for New England started my pockets to fill | F |
| But by bushrangers met with my traps they made free | G |
| Took my horse and left Billy bailed to a tree | G |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| I shall die of starvation thought Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| - | |
| At last I got loose and I walked on my way | H |
| A constable came up and to me did say | H |
| Are you free Says I Yes to be sure don't you know | B |
| And I handed my card Mr William Barlow | B |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| He said That's all gammon to Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| Then he put on the handcuffs and brought me away | H |
| Right back down to Maitland before Mr Day | H |
| When I said I was free why the J P replied | I |
| I must send you down to be i dentified | I |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| So to Sydney once more went poor Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| They at last let me go and I then did repair | J |
| For my station once more and at length I got there | J |
| But a few days before the blacks you must know | B |
| Had spear'd all the cattle of Billy Barlow | B |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| It's a beautiful country said Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| And for nine months before no rain there had been | K |
| So the devil a blade of grass could be seen | L |
| And one third of my wethers the scab they had got | I |
| And the other two thirds had just died of the rot | I |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| I shall soon be a settler said Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| And the matter to mend now my bill was near due | I |
| So I wrote to my friend and just asked to renew | I |
| He replied he was sorry he couldn't because | M |
| The bill had passed into a usurer's claws | M |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| But perhaps he'll renew it said Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| I applied to renew he was quite content | I |
| If secured and allowed just three hundred per cent | I |
| But as I couldn't do Barr Rodgers and Co | B |
| Soon sent up a summons for Billy Barlow | B |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| They soon settled the business of Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| For a month or six weeks I stewed over my loss | N |
| And a tall man rode up one day on a black horse | O |
| He asked Don't you know me I answered him No | B |
| Why said he my name's Kinsmill how are you Barlow | B |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| He'd got a fi fa for poor Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| What I'd left of my sheep and my traps he did seize | P |
| And he said They won't pay all the costs and my fees | P |
| Then he sold off the lot and I'm sure 'twas a sin | K |
| At sixpence a head and the station giv'n in | K |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| I'll go back to England said Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| My sheep being sold and my money all gone | Q |
| Oh I wandered about then quite sad and forlorn | R |
| How I managed to live it would shock you to know | B |
| And as thin as a lath got poor Billy Barlow | B |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| Quite down on his luck was poor Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| And in a few weeks more the sheriff you see | G |
| Sent the tall man on horseback once more unto me | G |
| Having got all he could by the writ of fi fa | S |
| By way of a change he'd brought up a ca sa | T |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| He seized on the body of Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| He took me to Sydney and there they did lock | U |
| Poor unfortunate Billy fast under the clock | U |
| And to get myself out I was forced you must know | B |
| The schedule to file of poor Billy Barlow | B |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| In the list of insolvents was Billy Barlow | B |
| - | |
| Then once more I got free but in poverty's toil | V |
| I've no cattle for salting no sheep for to boil | V |
| I can't get a job though to any I'd stoop | W |
| If it was only the making of portable soup | W |
| Oh dear lackaday oh | B |
| Pray give some employment to Billy Barlow | B |
Banjo Paterson (andrew Barton)
(1)
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