Author: Henry Lawson

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    The rafters are open to sun, moon, and star,
    Thistles and nettles grow high in the bar,
    The chimneys are crumbling, the log fires are dead,
    And green mosses spring from the hearthstone instead.
    The voices are silent, the bustle and din,
    For the railroad hath ruined the Cherry-tree Inn.

    Save the glimmer of stars, or the moon's pallid streams,
    And the sounds of the 'possums that camp on the beams,
    The bar-room is dark and the stable is still,
    For the coach comes no more over Cherry-tree Hill.
    No riders push on through the darkness to win
    The rest and the comfort of Cherry-tree Inn.

    I drift from my theme, for my memory strays
    To the carrying, digging, and bushranging days,
    Far back to the seasons that I love the best,
    When a stream of wild diggers rushed into the west,
    But the `rushes' grew feeble, and sluggish, and thin,
    Till scarcely a swagman passed Cherry-tree Inn.

    Do you think, my old mate (if it's thinking you be),
    Of the days when you tramped to the goldfields with me?
    Do you think of the day of our thirty-mile tramp,
    When never a fire could we light on the camp,
    And, weary and footsore and drenched to the skin,
    We tramped through the darkness to Cherry-tree Inn?

    Then I had a sweetheart and you had a wife,
    And Johnny was more to his mother than life;
    But we solemnly swore, ere that evening was done,
    That we'd never return till our fortunes were won.
    Next morning to harvests of folly and sin
    We tramped o'er the ranges from Cherry-tree Inn.

.    .    .    .    .

    The years have gone over with many a change,
    And there comes an old swagman from over the range,
    And faint 'neath the weight of his rain-sodden load,
    He suddenly thinks of the inn by the road.
    He tramps through the darkness the shelter to win,
    And reaches the ruins of Cherry-tree Inn.

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Type of Poem: Narrative Poem

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This nostalgic and elegiac poem explores themes of change, loss, memory, and the passing of time. From the outset, the poet uses vivid imagery to paint a picture of a once lively Cherry-tree Inn, now silent and decaying, reflective of the inevitable march of progress represented by the railroad. The tone is melancholic, filled with longing for a bygone era marked by camaraderie, adventure, and simple pleasures.

The poem's structure follows a rhythmic pattern that enhances its storytelling aspect. Each stanza is a snapshot of the past or a lamentation of the present, and the repeated references to the Cherry-tree Inn serve as a poignant refrain. The use of dialogue in the latter stanzas adds a personal touch, further humanizing the narrative and evoking empathy. The poet's masterful use of sensory language and metaphors not only immerses the reader in the environment but also underlines the stark contrast between past vibrancy and present desolation. For instance, the 'voices are silent, the bustle and din' replaced by 'the sounds of the 'possums that camp on the beams'. This juxtaposition serves to heighten the sense of loss, mirroring the poet's own emotions.

The poem ends on a powerful note with an 'old swagman' seeking shelter only to find the ruins of the Cherry-tree Inn, a metaphorical representation of the harsh reality of time and progress. Overall, the poet has expertly weaved a richly textured narrative, filled with emotion and a profound sense of longing for a time and place that exists now only in memory.