Australian Bush Poetry, Verse & Music

Aussie Language

This piece of verse was written by Val Wallace, a member of the Hunter Valley Bush Poets. The poem was written after filling in a census form which required the insertion of "English" as the language spoken!!

What language is it, that you speak, to air your point of view
Do you ever stop and ponder when this question's asked of you?
The subject crops up all the time, on forms in replication
With Tax Returns, your Passport and Census information

They tell us the answer's English "Fair Dinkum?" we venture to ask
Shouldn't we now start to question and take authorities to task.?
Don't you think the time has come to claim it as our own?
Unique Australian , classic speak, around the world, well known.

I know we share some common terms , but does it worry you
That our interpretations, aren't regarded as "True Blue!
If others say "It's Difficult" we Aussies say "Too hard"
To think oneself "As Christmas" a term of "High regard"

"Two-Up ", is our gambling game, .played by tossing up two pennies
"Down Under" if you've "Buckley's Chance" indeed you haven't any!
"Poor as string" an Aussie phrase In English terms "So Skinny"
There's Bunyip, Swagman, Jackaroo, or baby Piccaninny!

What about a Brumby "An unbroken, untamed horse"
And then there's "Chuckin' a Gibber" "Throwing a stone of course!"
Not often, in "Old England , " would Jumbuck or Corroboree
Be used daily in conversation like our own , Aborigine

The French will say "Bonjour " to you .The Italian greets you "Ciao"
The German utters "Guten Tag "but I would think somehow
That when you hear this greeting, ( far from home is said)
"G'Day Mate How ya goin'.?" For quids you wouldn't be dead !"

This question asked, you could safely bet , without a thought of failure
They've just arrived on those foreign shores ,from our wide brown land Australia.
No doubt they'd hail from "Beyond the Black Stump "A place so remote"it's true.
They're sure to sing "Waltzing Matilda and might play the "Didgeridoo"

When an Aussie calls you" Bastard"! He likes you, that's for sure!?
But "Newchums" fresh from overseas are shocked right to the core
Aussie slang which a "Pommy " or "Wog " never ever learns!
They simply cannot understand that these are "MOSTLY" endearing terms!

So next time you're asked on which language you speak,write in heavy black pen

A- U- S- T R- A- L I- A Bloody N!!

Back To Top Of Page

Our currently featured poet is:-

Wayne Pantall

Wayne is the latest poet to have his work on the site. Read his poetry and book him for a performance! Click on his photo for access to his pages.