C.J. Dennis, Digger Smith - Part 4

Drawing - see original document
HAL GYE
"Winnin' the war?" sez'e.

Over the Fence
TAINT my idea uv argument to call a man a fool,

An' I ain't lookin' round for bricks to 'eave at

ole man Poole;

But when 'e gets disputin' 'e's inclined to lose

'is 'ead.

It ain't so much 'is choice uv words as 'ow the

words is said.
"E's sich a coot for takin' sides, as I sez to Doreen.

Sez she, " 'Ow can 'e, by 'imself?" Wotever that may mean

My wife sez little things sometimes that nearly git me riled.

I knoo she meant more than she said be that soft way she

smiled
To-day, when I was 'arrowin', Poole comes down to the fence

To get the loan uv my long spade; an' uses that pretence

To 'ave a bit uv friendly talk, an' one word leads to more,

As is the way with ole man Poole, as I've remarked before.
The spade reminds 'im 'ow 'e done some diggin' in 'is day,

An' diggin' brings the talk to earth, an' earth leads on to clay,

Then clay quite natural reminds a thinkin' bloke uv bricks,

An' mortar brings up mud, an' then, uv course, it's politics.

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52   
DIGGER SMITH

Now, Poole sticks be 'is Party, an' I don't deny 'is right;

But when 'e starts abusin' mine 'e's lookin' for a fight.

So I delivers good 'ome truths about 'is crowd; then Poole

Wags 'is ole beard across the fence  an' tells me I'm a fool.
Now, that's the dizzy limit; so I lays aside the reins

An' starts to prove 'e's storin' mud where most blokes keeps

their brains.

"E decorates 'is answers, an' we're goin' it ding-dong.

When this returned bloke, Digger Smith, comes sauntering

along.
Poole's gripped the fence as though 'e means to tear the rails in

two,

An' eyes my waggin' finger like 'e wants to 'ave a chew.

Then Digger Smith 'e grins at Poole, an' then 'e looks at me,

An' sez quite soft an' friendly-like, "Winnin' the war?" sez 'e.
Now, Poole deserves it, an' I'm pleased the lad give 'im that jolt.

'E goes fair mad in argument when once 'e gets a holt.

"Yeh make me sad," sez Digger Smith; "the both uv you,"

sez 'e.

"The both uv us! Gawstruth!" sez I. "You ain't includin'

me?"

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OVER THE FENCE    

"Well, it takes two to make a row," sez little Digger Smith.

"A bloke can't argue 'less 'e 'as a bloke to argue with.

I've come 'ome from a dinkum scrap to find this land uv light

Is chasin' its own tail around an' callin' it a fight.
"We've seen a thing or two, us blokes 'oo've fought on many 

fronts;

An' we've 'ad time to think a bit between the fightin stunts.

We've seen big things, an' thought big things, an' all the silly

fuss,

That used to get us rattled once, seems very small to us.
"An' when a bloke's fought for a land an' gets laid on the shelf

It pains 'im to come 'ome 'an find it scrappin' with itself;

An' scrappin' all for nothin', or for things that look so small---

To us,'oo've been in bigger things, they don't seem reel at all.
"P'r'aps we 'ave 'ad some skite knocked out, an' p'r'aps we see

more clear,

But seems to us there's plenty cleanin'-up to do round 'ere.

We've learnt a little thing or two, an' we 'ave unlearnt 'eaps,

An' silly partisans, with us, is counted out for keeps.
"This takin's sides jist for the sake uv takin' sides---Aw, 'Struth!

I used to do them things one time, back in me foolish youth.

 

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DIGGER SMITH
Out There, when I remembered things, I've kicked meself

reel good.

In football days I barracked once red 'ot for Collin'wood.
"I didn't want to see a game, nor see no justice done.

It never mattered wot occurred as long as my side won.

The other side was narks an' cows an' rotters to a man;

But mine was all reel bonzer chaps. I was a partisan.
"It might sound like swelled-'ead," sez Smith. "But show me, if

yeh can.". . . 

"'Old 'ard," sez Poole. "Jist tell me this: wot is a partisan?"

Then Digger Smith starts to ixplain; Poole interupts straight

out;

An' I wades in to give my views, an' 'as to nearly shout.
We battles on for one good hour. My team sleeps where it stands;

An' Poole 'as tossed the spade away to talk with both 'is 'ands;

An'Smith' as dropped the maul 'e 'ad. Then I looks round

to see

Doreen quite close. She smiles at us. "Winnin' the war?"

sez she.

Drawing - see original document
HAL GYE
"You 'ear a lot," sez little Digger Smith.

A Digger's Tale

My oath! the Duchess sez. 'You'd not ixpect

Sich things as that. Yeh don't mean

kangaroos?

Go hon! she sez, or words to that effect--

(It's 'ard to imitate the speech they use)

I tells 'er, 'Straight; I drives 'em four-in-'and

'Ome in my land.'
"You 'ear a lot," sez little Digger Smith,

"About 'ow English swells is so stand-off.

Don't yeh believe it; it's a silly myth.

I've been reel cobbers with the British toff

While I'm on leaf; for Blighty liked our crowd,

An' done us proud.
"Us Aussies was the goods in London town

When I was there. If they jist twigged yer 'at

The Dooks would ask yeh could yeh keep one down,

An' Earls would 'ang out 'Welcome' on the mat,

An' sling yeh invites to their stately 'alls

For fancy balls.

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58 
DIGGER SMITH
"This Duchess--I ain't quite sure uv 'er rank;

She might uv been a Peeress. I dunno.

I meets 'er 'usband first. 'E owns a bank,

I 'eard an' 'arf a dozen mints or so.

A dinkum toff. 'E sez, 'Come 'ome with me

An' 'ave some tea.'
"That's 'ow I met this Duchess Wot's-er-name---

Or Countess--never mind 'er moniker;

I ain't no 'and at this 'ere title game---

An' right away, I was reel pals with 'er.

'Now, tell me all about yer 'ome, sez she,

An' smiles at me.
"That knocks me out. I know it ain't no good

Paintin' word-picters uv the things I done

Out 'ome 'ere, barrackin' for Collin'wood,

Or puntin' on the flat at Flemin'ton.

I know this Baroness uv Wot-yeh-call

Wants somethin' tall.
"I thinks reel 'ard; an' then I lets it go,

I tells 'er, out at Richmond, on me Run--

A little place uv ten square mile or so--

I'm breedin' boomerangs; which is reel fun,

When I ain't trouble by the wild Jonops

That eats me crops.

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A DIGGER'S TALE    
"I talks about the wondrous Boshter Bird

That builds 'er nest up in the Cobber Tree,

An' 'atches out 'er young on May the third,

Stric' to the minute, jist at 'arf pas' three.

'Er eyes get big. She sez, 'Can it be true?"

'Er eyes was blue.
"An' then I speaks uv sport, an' tells 'er 'ow

In 'untin' our wild Wowsers we imploy

Large packs uv Barrackers, an' 'ow their row

Wakes echoes in the forests uv Fitzroy,

Where lurks the deadly Shicker Snake 'oo's breath

Is certain death.
"I'm goin' on to talk uv kangaroos,

An' 'ow I used to drive 'em four-in-and,

'Wot?' sez the Marchioness. 'Them things in Zoos

That 'ops about? I've seen 'em in the Strand

In double 'arness; but I ain't seen four.

Tell me some more.'
"I baulks a bit at that; an' she sez, 'Well,

There ain't no cause at all for you to feel

Modest about the things you 'ave to tell;

An' wot yeh say sounds wonderfully reel.

Your talk'--an' 'ere I seen 'er eyelids flick--

'Makes me 'omesick.

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DIGGER SMITH
"'I reckerlect,' she sez---'Now, let me see--

In Gippsland, long ago, when I was young,

I 'ad a little pet Corroboree,'

(I sits up in me chair like I was stung.)

'On its 'ind legs' she sez, 'it used to stand

Fed from me 'and.'
'Uv course, I threw me alley in right there.

This Princess was a dinkum Aussie girl.

I can't do nothin' else but sit an' stare,

Thinkin' so rapid that me 'air roots curl.

But 'er? She sez, 'I ain't 'eard talk so good

Since my child'ood.
" ' I wish,' sez she, 'I could be back again

Beneath the wattle an' that great blue sky.

It's like a breath uv 'ome to meet you men.

You've done reel well,' she sez. 'Don't you be shy.

When yer in Blighty once again,' sez she,

'Come an' see me.'
"I don't see 'er no more; 'cos I stopped one.

But, 'fore I sails, I gits a billy doo

Which sez, 'Give my love to the dear old Sun,

An' take an exile's blessin' 'ome with you.

An' if you 'ave some boomerangs to spare,

Save me a pair.

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A DIGGER'S TALE   

"I'd like to see 'em play about,' she wrote,

'Out on me lawn, an' stroke their pretty fur.

God bless yeh, boy.' An' then she ends 'er note,

'Yer dinkum cobber,' an' 'er moniker.

A sport? You bet! She's marri'd to an Earl --

An Aussie girl."

VIII.      JIM'S GIRL

 

Drawing - see original document
HAL GYE
"Jim used to talk to me at night."

 

Jim's Girl
'Oo is that girl," sez Digger Smith,

"That never seems to bother with

No blokes: the bint with curly 'air?

I've often seen 'er over there

Talkin' to Missus Flood, an' she

Seems like a reel ripe peach to me.
"Not that I'm askin'". . . 'Ere 'is eyes

Goes sort uv swiv'ly, an' 'e sighs.

"Not that I'm askin' with idears

Uv love an' marridge; 'ave no fears.

I've chucked the matrimony plan,"

'E sez. "I'm only 'arf a man."
This Digger Smith 'as fairly got

Me rampin' with ;is " 'arf man" rot.

'E 'as a timber leg, it's true;

But 'e can do the work uv two.

Besides, the things 'e's done Out There

Makes 'im one man an' some to spare.

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66      
DIGGER SMITH
I knoo 'is question was jist kid.

'E'd met this girl; I know 'e did.

'E knoo Jim Flood an' 'er was booked

For double when the 'Un was cooked.

But, seein' 'er, it used to start

'Im thinkin' uv another tart.
"Oh, 'er?" sez I. "She is a pearl.

I've 'eard she used to be Jim's girl;

But she was jist a child when Jim

Got out. She 'as forgotten 'im.

I knows jist wot was in 'is mind,

An' sez, "Wade in, if you're inclined."
'E give me sich a narsty look

I thought 'e meant to answer crook;

But, "I ain't out for jokes," sez 'e

"Yeh needn't sling that stuff to me.

I only was jist thinkin'--p'r'aps. . . . 

There's some," 'e sez, "that sticks to chaps.
"Some girls, " sez 'e, "keeps true to chaps

An' wed 'em when they've done with scraps,

An' come 'ome whole. Yeh don't ixpect'

No tart to tie up to a wreck?

Besides," 'e sez . . . "Well, any'ow,

That girl's all right; I know it now.

67

JIM'S GIRL
"I know," sez Smith. "I got it right.

Jim used to talk to me at night

About a little girl 'e tracked.

'Er name is Flo. Ain't that a fact?

That's 'er. I know she write to 'im

Each mail. She ain't forgotten Jim.
"I'd like to swap my luck for Jim's

If 'e comes 'ome with all 'is limbs.

An' if 'e don't--well, I dunno.

I've taken notice uv this Flo,

An' wonder if"--'e stares at me--

"If there is more like 'er" sez 'e.
Now, Digger Smith 'as learned a lot

Out fightin' there, but 'e ain't got

The cunnin' for to 'ide 'is 'eart.

'E's too dam honest, for a start;

'Is mind's dead simple to a friend.

I've read 'im through from end to end.
I've learned from things 'e 'asn't said

Jist wot's been runnin' in 'is 'ead.

I know there is a girl, somewhere:

Some one 'oo 'ad the 'eart to care

For 'im when 'e went to the war.

I know all that, an' somethin' more.

68     
DIGGER SMITH
I know that since 'e came back 'ere

'E 'asn't seen that girl for fear

She'd turn 'im down--give 'im the bird,

An' 'and 'im out the frozen word,

Because 'e's left a leg in France;
An' 'e's afraid to take a chance.

Well, not afraid, per'aps, but--shook.

It's jist the form 'is nerves 'ave took.

Now 'e's been watchin' Flo an' seen

'Er style, an' 'ow she's always keen

For news uv Jim. Then 'e starts out

To 'ope, an' 'esitate, an' doubt
'E wonders if 'is own girl spoke

Jist this same way about 'er bloke.

'E wonders if in 'is girl's eyes

That same look came; an' then 'e sighs,

An' dulls 'is senses with the dope

That 'arf a man ain't got no 'ope.
'E makes me tired. But, all the same,

I tries to work a little game.

"Look 'ere," I sez. "About this Flo.

Jim mightn't come back 'ome, yeh know.

You 'ave a fly; yeh're sure to score;

Besides, all's fair in love an' war."

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JIM'S GIRL    
"Sling that!" 'e sez; but I goes on:

"Ole Jim won't blame yeh when she's gone.

'E knows, the same as me an' you,

These silly tarts, they can't keep true."

I piles it on until I've got

'Im where I want 'im--jumpin' 'ot,
An' then 'e sez," 'Ere, sling that talk!

I might be groggy in me walk;

But if yeh say them things to me

I'm man enough to crack yeh; see?"

"Righto," sez I. "That was me plan,

Now wot about this 'arf a man?"
'E stares at me, an' then sez, slow,

"Wot is yer game? Wot do yeh know?"

"Nothin'," I tells 'im, "only this;

When there's a waitin' tart to kiss

Yeh're only 'arf a man; but when

There's blokes to fight, yeh're twenty men."
"Wot tart?" 'e asks."Yeh mean this Flo?"

"P'r'aps not," I sez. "You ought to know . . . .

I waits to let me words sink in.

An' then --'e beats me with that grin.

"Match-makin", Bill? 'e laughs. "Oh, 'Ell!

You take up knittin' for a spell."