Читать книгу Poetical Works of Henry Lawson - Henry Lawson - Страница 35

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A cloud of dust on the long, white road,

And the teams go creeping on

Inch by inch with the weary load;

And by the power of the green-hide goad

The distant goal is won.

With eyes half-shut to the blinding dust,

And necks to the yokes bent low,

The beasts are pulling as bullocks must;

And the shining tires might almost rust

While the spokes are turning slow.

With face half-hid by a broad-brimmed hat,

That shades from the heat’s white waves,

And shouldered whip, with its green-hide plait,

The driver plods with a gait like that

Of his weary, patient slaves.

He wipes his brow, for the day is hot,

And spits to the left with spite;

He shouts at Bally, and flicks at Scot,

And raises dust from the back of Spot,

And spits to the dusty right.

He’ll sometimes pause as a thing of form

In front of a settler’s door,

And ask for a drink, and remark “It’s warm,”

Or say "There’s signs of a thunderstorm;”

But he seldom utters more.

The rains are heavy on roads like these

And, fronting his lonely home,

For days together the settler sees

The waggons bogged to the axletrees,

Or ploughing the sodden loam.

And then, when the roads are at their worst,

The bushman’s children hear

The cruel blows of the whips reversed

While bullocks pull as their hearts would burst,

And bellow with pain and fear.

And thus—with glimpses of home and rest—

Are the long, long journeys done;

And thus—’tis a thankless life at the best!—

Is Distance fought in the mighty West,

And the lonely battle won.