Henry Lawson

Write by Return

Write by Return - meaning Summary

City Letters, Rural Longing

The poem presents a bush worker now clerking in the city who receives a steady stream of letters, each ending with the imperative "Write by return." These missives range from business complaints and social invitations to consoling notes from family and a distant sweetheart. The recurring demand for an immediate reply underlines his obligations, social dislocation, homesickness, and the financial and emotional ties that pull him between two worlds.

Read Complete Analyses

Clerk, corresponding, Rooster and Comb, Here I sit idle Thinking of home; I must be grafting Living to earn, More correspondence, Write by return. Clerk in employ of Shoddy and Woods, Thinks that we have not Forwarded goods. Parcel we sent them Missing, I learn, Says in his postscript: Write by return. Here is another Letter from Bland Cheque he expected Isn’t to hand. How we forgot it Cannot discern, Forward remittance, Write by return. Here is another O how they come? Treats of a Bender Planned by a chum. See on the margin, Big letters: Burn After perusal Write by return. Mail in from England, Letters for me Dear little sweetheart Over the sea. Quite broken-hearted, O how I yearn Only to see you. . . . Write by return. One who will never Think that I’m bad Writes me a letter Tearful and sad. Thinks that I’m starving, Filled with concern, Sends me some money Write by return. Letter from father, Sent to his son, All is forgiven Fat calf for one. O that I ever Thought he was stern Money for passage Write by return.

default user
PoetryVerse just now

Feel free to be first to leave comment.

8/2200 - 0