Poetry By Susan Stewart - Poem 4

“The Journey of his Life"
The story of my great - grandfather – William Wilson

From Rye he came at seventeen,
To seek his fortune in a land unseen.
No father then to guide his way,
His mother he could not sway.
To join him as he travelled far

Nor was there anything that could mar
A three-month journey on the seas
On the Barque Bolton he could appease
His desire for freedom in a new life
Away from all the family strife.

A journal he kept on board the ship,
The ports of call, every little bit
The drunks, the brawls, the births, the love,
The sighting of land from up above

Arriving in Sydney, new life began
Though it could have been just a sham
To Cunningham Plains the carriage set
Though on arrival he was not met
By manager or worker alike
For they were at the races until night

While working on the land it seems
Many a strange tale from there did beam
A bushranger came riding by
Seeking bounty, living under the sky
Another’s fate was sealed in death
As he approached with the act of stealth

When Charlotte agreed to be his wife
She knew she had to change her life
From the dainty life of a city girl
To the property mistress in quite a whirl.

Now Cunningar & Cunningham were amongst the hills
In the Murrumburrah district away from the Mills
The homestead from pise was the finest around
From the earth it sprung & all in the ground
The wool shed was a splendid sight
Constructed there from all men’s might
The stable & the coach house walls
Were soundproof to the horses calls

A snake did bite his youngest girl,
but a tourniquet saved her life
Not so the family cat & her young,
who soon expired in the strife
For when the kitten licked the wound
His fate was sealed & he was doomed

When time to go was a quick goodbye
Will left his family with just a sigh
From the robust man he used to be
He passed away at fifty-three
The town came out to pay respect
And business closed for the sad effect

The church bell tolled and the flowers were strewn
For one in his prime had gone so soon

Six little ones were left to mourn
For their father’s love so swiftly gone
A new life was soon to begin
With the Uncle Bill who took them in

Gone was the social country life
With games & tennis all dressed in white
The sheep, the cattle & horses to ride
The manager’s family & all the pride

Manager, Councillor, & Magistrate was he
But to all he was known as Wee Willie

Susan Stewart

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