Henry Lawson

The Bush Girl

The Bush Girl - meaning Summary

A Farewell from the Bush

The poem portrays a young man leaving a rural homestead at dawn and a woman left behind who quietly endures his departure. It contrasts his relief and sense of freedom with her steady sadness and patient loyalty. Images of the grey bush and fading homestead emphasize distance and separation, while the final lines stress the womans unwavering faith that she will wait by the sliprails for his return.

Read Complete Analyses

So you rode from the range where your brothers “select,” through the ghostly grey bush in the dawn --- You rode slowly at first, lest her heart should suspect that you were glad to be gone; You had scarcely the courage to glance back at her by the homestead receding from view, and you breathed with relief as you rounded the spur, for the world was a wide world to you. Grey eyes that grow sadder than sunset or rain, fond heart that is ever more true, firm faith that grows firmer for watching in vain --- She’ll wait by the sliprails for you.

default user
PoetryVerse just now

Feel free to be first to leave comment.

8/2200 - 0