Hi Heather I have read this over and over a few times and it is very haunting. Feelings of unrest and regret always get you thinking what could have been " If Only ". I reckon most of us have been there at sometime in our life.
A great read and I like it.
Well done.
Bob
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Heather
Re: xx
Thanks very much for the comments Manfred and Bob.
John that was a difficult line. Originally I had "And a bottle for a wife" but because I used "demon gin" later in the poem, I didn't want two references to drink. Perhaps this would be a better line. I still like it. What do you think?
What I'm getting at with the knife is that Lawson for instance, was his own worst enemy in many ways. No one else was holding a knife to his throat. He could have changed his life - and he showed that he could at times.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Heather
John that was a difficult line. Originally I had "And a bottle for a wife" but because I used "demon gin" later in the poem, I didn't want two references to drink. Perhaps this would be a better line. I still like it. What do you think?
What I'm getting at with the knife is that Lawson for instance, was his own worst enemy in many ways. No one else was holding a knife to his throat. He could have changed his life - and he showed that he could at times.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Heather
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manfredvijars
Re: xx
Exellent call Heather, either one would have made the other redundant. Sometimes redundancy is hard to spot (AND eliminate) - well done ...Heather wrote: John that was a difficult line. Originally I had "And a bottle for a wife" but because I used "demon gin" later in the poem, I didn't want two references to drink. Perhaps this would be a better line. I still like it. What do you think?
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Heather
Re: xx
Thanks very much John. Lawson had multiple handicaps - his deafness, his addiction to drink, his mental illness (Roderick says possibly bi-polar) but also a defective personality. He thought that because he was the Henry Lawson, he was "owed" a living. George Robertson of Angus and Robertson was extremely tolerant and kind to him.
Heather
Heather
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Jasper Brush
Re: xx
Henry had a lot of help in his latter years.
As you are probably aware.
He was often admitted to psychiatrric hospitals. When not in hospital, Henry's friends did their best and free lodgings were provided by his 'little land lady' Mrs Byers.
I suppose Henry's main weakness was success.
Regards,
John
As you are probably aware.
He was often admitted to psychiatrric hospitals. When not in hospital, Henry's friends did their best and free lodgings were provided by his 'little land lady' Mrs Byers.
I suppose Henry's main weakness was success.
Regards,
John