Author: Banjo Paterson (Andrew Barton)

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    [He and his gang stuck up the township of Canowindra for two days in 1859.]

         (Air: Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie.)


    John Gilbert was a bushranger of terrible renown,
    For sticking lots of people up and shooting others down.
    John Gilbert said unto his pals, Although they make a bobbery
    About our tricks we have never done a tip-top thing in robbery.

    We have all of us a fancy for experiments in pillage,
    Yet never have we seized a town, or even sacked a village.
    John Gilbert said unto his matesThough partners we have been
    In all rascality, yet we no festal day have seen.

    John Gilbert said he thought he saw no obstacle to hinder a
    Piratical descent upon the town of Canowindra.
    So into Canowindra town rode Gilbert and his men,
    And all the Canowindra folk subsided there and then.

    The Canowindra populace cried, Heres a lot of strangers!!!
    But immediately recovered when they found they were bushrangers.
    And Johnny Gilbert said to them, You need not be afraid.
    We are only old companions whom bushrangers you have made.

    And Johnny Gilbert said, said he, Well never hurt a hair
    Of men who bravely recognise that we are just all there.
    The New South Welshmen said at once, not making any fuss,
    That Johnny Gilbert, after all, was Just but one of us.

    So Johnny Gilbert took the town (including public houses),
    And treated all the    cockatoos and shouted for their spouses.
    And Miss OFlanagan performed in manner quite gintailly
    Upon the grand planner for the bushranger OMeally.

    And every stranger passing by they took, and when they got him
    They robbed him of his money and occasionally shot him.
    And Johnnys enigmatic feat admits of this solution,
    That bushranging in New South Wales is a favoured institution.

    So Johnny Gilbert neer allows an anxious thought to fetch him,
    For well he knows the Government dont really want to ketch him.
    And if such practices should be to New South Welshmen dear,
    With not the least demurring word ought we to interfere.

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Type of Poem: Ballad

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem delves into the narrative of an infamous bushranger, John Gilbert, and his exploits, focusing on the themes of rebellion, societal norms, and the blurred lines between the law and lawlessness. The tone is light and playful, which is somewhat ironic considering the serious nature of the poem's content - theft, violence, and a town's occupation. This ironic humor adds a distinctive layer to the poem, suggesting a critique of societal hypocrisy and complacency.

The structure of the poem is rhythmic and carries a sing-song quality, harking to the traditional air of "Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie." This not only gives the narrative a folkloric touch but also emphasizes the perceived normalcy and acceptance of the bushranger's actions. The repeated lines "John Gilbert said" give the poem a ballad-like quality, presenting Gilbert as a protagonist of sorts, despite his criminal activities. The poet's use of local dialect and colloquial language ("bobbery", "cockatoos") offers a sense of authenticity and characterizes the lawlessness of the Australian frontier. Meanwhile, the poet's employment of irony ("We are only old companions whom bushrangers you have made") underscores the idea that these criminals are a product of the society that now fears them. This poem thus offers a complex and critical perspective on societal norms and the systemic issues that can give rise to lawlessness.