Political correctness

[Peter Mace]

Interested in the forums views on reciting verse that in today's day and age would be considered unacceptable, but reflects the era in which it was written.

I am halfway through learning Henry Lawson's "The Men Who Made Australia" part of which goes

And away on far out stations, seldom touched by Heaven's breath,
In a loneliness that smothers love and hate-
Where they never take white women - there they live the living death
With a half - caste or a black gin for a mate.

My inclination is to leave it as Henry wrote it.

[Heather]

Absolutely....

[Ron]

G'day Peter
I think I'd leave it as is, That's the way it was spoken, the way it was at the time. You can't change history.
(just my two bob's worth)
Ron

[manfredvijars]

They're not your words to play with Mate ...
Read-em like he wrote-em.

Do you foresee a problem with an audience Peter?

[David Campbell]

Agree, Peter...tell it like it is. Ted Egan's memorable The Drover's Boy covers similar ground:

And he told of the massacre in the west,
Barest details, guess the rest,
Shoot the bucks, grab a gin, cut her hair
Break her in, call her a boy, the drover's boy
Call her a boy, the drover's boy.

Cheers
David

[Maureen K Clifford]

Totally agree - the words as written form part of our social history at the time - bugger political correctness

[Peter Mace]

Thanks for all that, it stays as is, now all I've got to do is learn the damn thing.

[mummsie]

Sometimes when I read these poems I'm left feeling a little "uncomfortable" Peter, but as the others agree, that's the way it was and the way it was written. Good luck with it mate.

Sue

[r.magnay]

It annoys me that people are made to feel uncomfortable about these things. Calling a black woman a Gin or a person of mixed breed a half caste, is really no different than calling an Australian an Aussie, a Pom a Pom, a carpenter a chippy or a an electrician a sparky! It is the context that a word is used in that denotes whether it is derogatory or not. Australians have been using slang and nicknames since well before any of us alive today can remember, it is just our social makeup, as is the reason much of our heritage is now demonized. A small minority decide something is not to their liking and make enough noise about it that the do gooders shift the goal posts!

[Zondrae]

G'day Peter,

As our old mate Frank Daniel has said 'Copyright' means exactly that..... copy right. Who are we to suggest any change in a master's work. I am sure the people who attend poets breakfasts at festivals and pay good money to watch performance competitions would expect to hear a poem 'as written'. There will probably be one or two in the crowd who know the poem and would question it if you strayed from the original. Whatever you decide, I know your performance will be exceptional, as they always are.