C.J. Dennis, Digger Smith - Part 3

30 
DIGGER SMITH

'E 'eard us talkin' through the open door.
''Oo's that?'' 'e croaks altho' 'e tries to roar.

An' when 'is wife ixplains it's only me

To 'elp a bit: "I want no charity!"

'E barks. "I'll do me work meself, yeh 'ear?"

An' then 'e gits so snarky that I clear.

But 'e'll do me. I like the ole boy's nerve.

We don't do nothin' that 'e don't deserve;

But me an' Peter Begg an' ole man Poole,

We fairly 'as our work cut out to fool

The sly ole fox, when we sneaks down each day

An' works a while to keep things under way.

We digs a bit, an' ploughs a bit, an' chops

The wood, an' does the needful to 'is crops.

We does it soft, an' when 'e 'ears a row

'Is missus tells 'im it's the dog or cow.

'E sez that it's queer noises for a pup.
An'- there'll be ructions when ole Flood gits up.

 

It ain't all overwork that's laid 'im out.

Ole Pride in 'im is fightin' 'ard with Doubt.

To-day 'is wife sez, "Somethin's strange in 'im,

For in 'is sleep sometimes 'e calls for Jim.

It's six long years" she sez an' stops to shake

'Er 'ead. "But 'e don't mention 'im awake."

 

DAD
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Dad Flood. I thought 'im jist a stiff-necked fool

Before the war; but, as I sez to Poole,

This war 'as tested more than fightin' men.

But, say, 'e is an 'oly terror when

Friends try to 'elp 'im earn a bite an' sup,

Oh, there'll be 'Ell to pay when 'e gits up!

IV.  DIGGER  SMITH

Drawing - see original document
HAL 
GYE
"E looked like 'e was booked for keeps.

 

Digger Smith

'E CALLS me Digger; that's 'ow 'e begins.

'E sez 'e's only 'arf a man; an' grins.

Judged be 'is nerve, I'd say 'e was worth two

Uv me an' you.

Then 'e digs 'arf a fag out uv 'is vest,

Borrers me matches, an' I gives 'im best.

The first I 'eard about it Poole told me.

"There is a bloke called Smith at Flood's," sez 'e;

Come there this mornin', sez 'e's come to stay,

An' won't go 'way.

Sez 'e was sent there be a pal named Flood;

An' talks uv contracts sealed with Flanders mud.

"No matter wot they say, 'e only grins,"

Sez Poole. "E's rather wobbly on 'is pins.

Seems like a soldier bloke. An' Peter Begg

'E sez one leg

Works be machinery, but I dunno.

I only know 'e's there an' 'e won't go.
35

36    
DIGGER SMITH
"E grins," sez Poole, "at ev'rything they say.

Dad Flood 'as nearly 'ad a fit to-day.

'E's cursed, an' ordered 'im clean off the place;

But this cove's face

Jist goes on grinnin', an' 'e sez, quite carm,

'E's come to do a bit around the farm."

The tale don't sound too good to me at all.

"If 'e's a crook," I sez, " 'e wants a fall.

Maybe 'e's dilly. I'll go down an' see.

'E'll grin at me

When I 'ave done, if 'e needs dealin' with."

So I goes down to interview this Smith.

'E 'ad a fork out in the tater patch.

Sez 'e, "Why 'ello, Digger. Got a match?"

"Digger?" I sez. "Well, you ain't digger 'ere.

You better clear.

You ought to know that you can't dig them spuds.

They don't belong to you; they're ole Dad Flood's."

"Can't I?" 'e grins. "I'll do the best I can,

Considerin' I'm only 'arf a man.

Give us a light. I can't get none from Flood,

An' mine is dud."

I parts; an' 'e stands grinnin' at me still;

An' then 'e sez, " 'Ave yeh fergot me, Bill?"

 

DIGGER SMITH   
37

I looks, an' seen a tough bloke, short an' thin.

Then, Lord! I recomembers that ole grin.

"It's little Smith!" I 'owls, "uv Collin'wood.

Lad, this is good!

Last time I seen yeh, you 'an Ginger Mick

Was 'owling rags, out on yer final kick."

"Yer on to it," 'e sez. "Nex' day we sailed.

Now 'arf uv me's back 'ome an' 'arf they nailed.

An' Mick . . . Ar,well, Fritz took me down a peg."

'E waves 'is leg.

"It ain't too bad," 'e sez, with 'is ole smile;
"But when I starts to dig it cramps me style.

 

"But I ain't grouchin'. It was worth the fun.

We 'ad some picnic stoushin' Brother 'Un-

The only fight I've 'ad that some John 'Op

Don't come an' stop.

They pulled me leg a treat, but, all the same,

There's nothin' over 'ere to beat the game.

"An' now," 'e sez, "I'm 'ere to do a job

I promised, if it was me luck to lob

Back 'ome before me mate," 'e sez, an' then,

'E grins again.

"As clear as mud," I sez. "But I can't work

Me brains to 'old yer pace. Say, wot's the lurk?"

38   
DIGGER SMITH

So then 'e puts me wise. It seems that 'im

An' this 'ere Flood--I tips it must be Jim--

Was cobbers up in France, an' things occurred.

(I got 'is word

Things did occur up there). But, anyway,

Seems Flood done somethin' good for 'im one day.

Then Smith 'e promised if 'e came back 'ome

Before 'is cobber o'er the flamin' foam,

'E'd see the old folks 'ere, an' 'e agreed,

If there was need,

'E'd stay an' do a bit around the farm

So long as 'e 'ad one sound, dinkum arm.

"So, 'ere I am," 'e sez, an' grins again.

"A promise is a promise 'mong us men."

Sez I, "You come along up to the 'ouse.

Ole Dad won't rouse

When once 'e's got yer strength, an' as for Mar,

She'll kiss yeh when she finds out 'oo yeh are."

So we goes up, an' finds 'em both fair dazed

About this little Smith; they think 'e's crazed.

I tells the tale in words they understand;

Then it was grand

To see Dad grab Smith's 'and an' pump it good,

An' Mar, she kissed 'im like I said she would.

 

DIGGER SMITH     
39

Mar sez 'e must be starved, an' right away

The kettle's on, she's busy with a tray.

An', when I left, this Digger Smith 'e looked

Like 'e was booked

For keeps, with tea an' bread an' beef inside.

"Our little Willie's 'ome." 'e grins, "an' dried."

V.    WEST

Drawing- see original document.
HAL
GYE
An' when I ask Mar Flood she sighs-
An' sez 'e's got the Anzac eyes.

 

West

"I'VE seen so much uv dirt an' grime

I'm mad to 'ave things clean.

I've seen so much uv death," 'e said--

"So many cobbers lyin' dead--

You won't know wot I mean;

But, lad, I've 'ad so much uv strife

I want things straightened in my life.

"I've seen so much uv 'ate," 'e said--

"Mad 'ate an' silly rage--

I'm yearnin' for clear thoughts," said 'e.

"Kindness an' love seem good to me.

I want a new, white page

To start all over, clean an' good,

An' live me life as reel men should."

We're sittin' talkin' by the fence,

The sun's jist goin' down,

Paintin' the sky all gold an' pink.

Said 'e, "When it's like that, I think--"

An' then 'e stops to frown.

Said 'e, "I think , when it's jist so,

Uv . . . .  God or somethin': I dunno.

43

Drawing - see original document

44  
DIGGER SMITH

"I ain't seen much uv God," said 'e;

"Not 'ere nor Over There;

But, partly wot I've seen an' read,

An' partly wot the padre said,

It gits me when I stare

Out West when it's like that is now.

There must be somethin' else--some'ow,

"I've thought a lot," said Digger Smith---

"Out There I thought a lot.

I thought uv death, an' all the rest,

An 'uv me mates, good mates gone West;

An' it ain't much I've got;

But things get movin' in me 'ead

When I look over there," 'e said.

'E's got me beat, 'as little Smith.

I knoo 'im years ago:

I knoo 'im as a reel tough boy

'Oo roughed it up with 'oly joy;

But now, well, I dunno.

An' when I ask Mar Flood she sighs ---

An' sez 'e's got the Anzac eyes.
She sez 'e's got them soldier's eyes

That makes 'er own eyes wet.

 

WEST    
45

An' we must give 'im wholesome food

An' lead 'is thoughts to somethin' good

An' never let 'im fret.

But 'e ain't frettin', seems to me;

More--puzzled, fur as I can see.

The clouds above the hills was tore

Apart, until, some'ow,

It seemed like some big, shinin' gate.

Said 'e, "Why, lad, I tell yeh straight,

I feel like startin' now,

An 'walkin' on, an' on, an' thro',

Dead game an' --Ain't it so to you?

"I've seen enough uv pain," 'e said,

"An' cursin', killin' 'ordes.

I ain't the man to smooge with God

To get to 'Eaven on the nod,

Or 'owl 'ymns for rewards.

But this believin'? Why--Oh, 'Struth!

This never 'it me in me youth.

"They talk uv love 'twixt men," said 'e

"That sounds dead crook to you.

But lately I 'ave come to see" . . . 

"'Old on," I said; "it seems to me

There's love uv women too.

46     
 DIGGER SMITH

An you?" 'E turns away 'is 'ead.

"I'm only 'arf a man," 'e said.

"I've seen so much uv death," said 'e,

"Me mind is in a whirl.

I've 'ad so many thoughts uv late." . . .

Said I, "Now, tell me, tell me straight,

Own up; ain't there a girl?"

Said 'e, "I've done the best I can.

Wot does she want with 'arf a man?"

It weren't no use. 'E wouldn't talk

Uv nothin' but that sky.

Said 'e, "Now, dinkum, talkin' square,

When you git gazin' over there

Don't you 'arf want to cry?

I wouldn't be su'prised to see

An angel comin' out," said 'e.

"Gone West!" said Digger Smith. "Ah, lad,

I've seen 'em goin' West,

An' often wonder, when I look,

If they 'ave 'ad it dealt 'em crook,

Or if they've got the rest

They earned twice over by the spell

They spent down in that dinkum 'Ell."

 

WEST    
47

The gold was creepin' up, the sun

Was 'arf be'ind the range.

It don't seem strange a man should cry

To see that glory in the sky ---

To me it don't seem strange.

"Digger!" said 'e. "Look at it now!

There must be somethin' else--some'ow."

 

VI.  OVER THE FENCE