Divorce Australian Style - 1818

The old ways were the best.

‘My wife has walked away with herself again,

Took to a man on a cattle run, poor fellow,

Left a note to say she’d gone

And thought to share another bed,

She’d better not come back running to me, tomorrow.’

 

‘Now I’ll make it plain and public said to all,

For bite and sup I will not pay at all… for Honey,

And if she contracts on my name,

(Now don’t be caught, she has the hide),

Then you’d better go off and find her again, for money.’

 

‘I’m not a man to carry a grudge for long,

Never a man to raise a fuss for nowt… by golly,

But she cost me a blue-ribbon pig, you know,

A pig and a bushel of wheat, my lad,

And a gallon of rum that I never got to swallow!’

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

This really made me laugh! A delightful poem that's everything Australian, with the wit and humor so distinct of the people from the place. I like the lighthearted mood and creative theme this poem has, plus the unique interesting title. The two end lines really make it funny. Very nice!