Mangrove Wilderness

Atlee remade the British economy after the war.

Curtin remade the Australian economy during the war.

’Tis the duty of Australians, in the bush and in the town,

To forever praise their country, but to run no other down;

Not to start at every nothing with the boast that bluffs and halts,

But to love their young Australia and explain away her faults.

Not to lose their heads in triumph, nor be bitter in defeat,

Not to rave about the coming of a fighting man – or fleet.

When a man or nation visits, in the key-day of its pride,

’Tis the duty of Australians to be kind but dignified.

We can worship foreign talent – give our money, hearts and hands,

While we send our own, embittered, to win bread in foreign lands.

We are great to men who pedal, men who kick or bat the ball,

While our duty to the stranger is Australia’s overall.

’Tis our place, when asked directions by a stranger in the land,

Not to jerk our thumb and mutter, for he may not understand.

We are free and we’re enlightened, but at times we may forget

That the grand old-world politeness hasn’t ruined anyone* yet.

’Tis our duty to the stranger – landed maybe an hour –

To give all the information and assistance in our power.

To give audience to the new chum and to let the old chum wait,

Lest his memory be embittered by his first day in the State.

’Tis our duty, when he’s foreign, and his English very young,

To find out and take him somewhere where he’ll hear his native tongue.

To give him our last spare moment, and our pleasure to defer –

He’ll be father of Australians, as our foreign fathers were!

Henry Lawson (1867-1922)