POETRY SPOT

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KNOCKING AROUND

By Henry Lawson

‘Knocking Around’ by Pro Hart

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Analysis:

From:

https://allpoetry.com/%27knocking-around%27

"Knocking Around" by Henry Lawson depicts the plight of parents searching for their absent son, Jack. The poem's simplicity and poignant portrayal of grief evoke a sense of melancholy and longing. Its sparse language and matter-of-fact tone contrast with the emotional weight of the situation.

Lawson's use of repetition and vernacular language grounds the poem in the daily lives of working-class Australians at the time. The parents' unwavering love and concern for their son are evident in their understated responses, despite their lack of specific information. The vagueness surrounding Jack's whereabouts reflects the uncertainty and isolation faced by many during the period.

Compared to Lawson's other works, "Knocking Around" shares a similar focus on the harsh realities and resilience of the Australian bush. However, its brevity and restraint make it unique, allowing the reader to fully absorb the emotional impact without overwhelming them with poetic devices. The poem captures the essence of a time when communication was difficult and the search for lost loved ones could be a heartbreaking and endless journey.

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The poem:

WEARY old wife, with the bucket and cow,

‘How’s your son Jack? and where is he now?’

Haggard old eyes that turn to the west—

‘Boys will be boys, and he’s gone with the rest!’

Grief without tears and grief without sound;

‘Somewhere up-country he’s knocking around.’

Knocking around with a vagabond crew,

Does for himself what a mother would do;

Maybe in trouble and maybe hard-up,

Maybe in want of a bite or a sup;

Dead of the fever, or lost in the drought,

Lonely old mother! he’s knocking about.

Wiry old man at the tail of the plough,

‘Heard of Jack lately? and where is he now?’

Pauses a moment his forehead to wipe,

Drops the rope reins while he feels for his pipe,

Scratches his grey head in sorrow or doubt:

‘Somewheers or others he’s knocking about.’

Knocking about on the runs of the West,

Holding his own with the worst and the best

Breaking in horses and risking his neck,

Droving or shearing and making a cheque;

Straight as a sapling—six-foot and sound,

Jack is all right when he’s knocking around.

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Musical version:

John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtWRF8K5dJ0

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