Coming Home [poem by Louisa Lawson]

[Editor: This poem by Louisa Lawson was published in “The Lonely Crossing” and Other Poems (1905).]

Coming Home.

Going round the back street,
Through the twilight lane,
While the folk at church meet —
Coming home again.

Faded hat and creasy,
Long since it was new;
Tent-fly torn and greasy,
Bluey showing through.

Billy burnt and battered,
Boots all badly burst,
Lace and lace-holes shattered,
Trousers at their worst.

Blankets like a riddle,
With a streak of white
Down the threadbare middle
When against the light.

Young face lined and sunburnt,
Hair just turning grey;
Many a lesson unlearnt
Since he went away.

But he need not bother,
There’s a bite and sup;
And for all the other —
Mother’ll fix him up.

Source:
Louisa Lawson, “The Lonely Crossing” and Other Poems, Sydney: Dawn Office, [1905], p. 3-4

Editor’s notes:
There are some minor differences between this version of the poem and the version published in The Dawn (Sydney, NSW) on 1 July 1904. There were several differences in the punctuation used; however, the most significant differences were:

1904: Through the silent lane,
1905: Through the twilight lane,

1904: All along the middle
1905: Down the threadbare middle

1904: For a bite and sup
1905: There’s a bite and sup;

1904: Mother’ll fix it up.
1905: Mother’ll fix him up.

billy = a metal pot or tin (usually with a wire or steel handle), used for boiling water over a camp fire (also known as a “billy can”)

bluey = a blanket; also may refer to a swagman’s bundle (a “swag”, being a number of items rolled up in a blanket, such blankets often being blue in colour)

mother’ll = (vernacular) mother will

sup = to eat or drink; imbibe drink or food by drinking or eating in small amounts (small mouthfuls, sips, or spoonfuls), especially liquid foods (such as soup); drink; have supper, eat an evening meal

[Editor: Changed “ent-fly” to “Tent-fly” (as per the 1909 edition, p. 3).]