The Stockman

By Banjo Paterson (Andrew Barton)

Ballad
         (Air: A wet sheet and a flowing sea.)     A bright sun and a loosened rein,         A whip whose pealing sound     Rings forth amid the forest trees         As merrily forth we bound     As merrily forth we bound, my boys,         And, by the dawns pale light,     Speed fearless on our horses true         From morn till starry night.     Oh! for a tame and quiet herd,         I hear some crawler cry;     But give to me the mountain mob         With the flash of their tameless eye     With the flash of their tameless eye, my boys,         As down the rugged spur     Dash the wild children of the woods,         And the horse that mocks at fear.     Theres mischief in you wide-horned steer,         Theres danger in you cow;     Then mount, my merry horsemen all,         The wild mobs bolting now     The wild mobs bolting now, my boys,         But twas never in their hides     To show the way to the well-trained nags         That are rattling by their sides.     Oh! tis jolly to follow the roving herd         Through the long, long summer day,     And camp at night by some lonely creek         When dies the golden ray.     Where the jackass laughs in the old gum tree,         And our quart-pot tea we sip;     The saddle was our childhoods home,         Our heritage the whip.

Share & Analyze This Poem

Spread the beauty of poetry or dive deeper into analysis

Analyze This Poem

Discover the literary devices, structure, and deeper meaning

Create Image

Transform this poem into a beautiful shareable image

Copy to Clipboard

Save this poem for personal use or sharing offline

Share the Love of Poetry
More Poems
More Ballads
Daily Poem

Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem is a vibrant celebration of a rugged, outdoor life, filled with the thrill of adventure. The primary theme is freedom, represented through the imagery of horse riding and the vast landscape, which offers a stark contrast to the confines of a more domestic or urban lifestyle. The speaker embraces the unpredictability and risk of this lifestyle, evident in lines like "There's mischief in your wide-horned steer, There's danger in your cow."

The poem's tone is exuberant and defiant, underscored by the repeated phrase "my boys," suggesting a kind of brotherhood or camaraderie among those who share this lifestyle. This repeated phrase also contributes to the poem's rhythmic structure, which is lively and energetic, mirroring the galloping of horses.

The poet employs several literary devices, such as personification, to bring the landscape to life. The whip's "pealing sound" rings out, the horses mock fear, and the wild children "dash" down the rugged spur, all contributing to a sense of vivid, bustling activity. In terms of symbolism, the "bright sun", "loosened rein", and "tameless eye" serve to further emphasize the theme of freedom. The saddle and whip, termed as the speaker's "childhood home" and "heritage," respectively, underscore the deeply ingrained nature of this way of life.

In summary, this poem is a spirited homage to a life of fearlessness and freedom in the great outdoors, with its rhythm, imagery, and tone all working together to create a vivid and compelling portrait of this lifestyle.

Understanding Ballads

A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music, that has been a cornerstone of storytelling across various cultures. Traditionally passed down orally, ballads are known for their rhythmic structure and often tell tales of love, adventure, and heroism.

Ballads are characterized by their strong rhythm and repetition, making them both memorable and engaging. Here are some defining features:

  • Narrative Structure: Ballads typically tell a story, often a dramatic or emotional tale that unfolds in a straightforward, chronological order.
  • Quatrain Stanzas: Most ballads are composed of quatrains (four-line stanzas) with a rhyme scheme of ABAB or ABCB, which adds to the musicality of the verse.
  • Repetition: Refrains or repeated lines are common in ballads, helping to emphasize key themes or emotions and making the ballad easier to remember.
  • Oral Tradition: Many ballads originated from oral traditions, which means they were passed down through generations by word of mouth before being written down.

From medieval minstrels to contemporary songwriters, ballads have continued to evolve, remaining a beloved form of expression that captures the human experience in a way that is both poetic and accessible.