The Grave of Joe Governor

[Neville Briggs]

JOE GOVERNOR
BUSHRANGER
SHOT 31 OCTOBER 1900
ERECTED BY
SINGLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY




THE GRAVE OF JOE GOVERNOR


Outside the cemetery fence
Joe Governor is laid to rest.
Towards the east is seen the shape
of old Mount Royal. To the west,
the Bulga hills that bring to mind
the rugged country where the fear
of Joe and Jimmy; Breelong blacks,
took hold of country folk that year.
It's blood for words and life for shame
the men of blood wil bear the blame.


Joe's brother, Jimmy tried to earn
respect by working hard and fair
but scornful looks and spiteful talk
would cause a deadly rage to flare.
At Breelong on that fateful day,
Jack Underwood, Joe Governor
with Jimmy Governor, would wield
the axe as executioner.
It's wound for looks and pain for pride;
to pay the price, nine people died.


Jack Underwood was captured first,
while Joe and Jimmy ranged at will.
The hunt for outlaw men went on
for months, from place to place until
the people cheered to hear the news
that Breelong blacks had all been found.
To Dubbo Gaol and Darlinghurst
went two; but one lay on the ground.
It's Jack and Jimmy, hanged till dead,
for Joe a bullet through the head.


The wind is blowing cold today
across the dried out winter grass.
Where Jimmy's brother, Joe is laid
more than a hundred years have passed.
The grey and mossy gothic stones
that mark those graves on hallowed ground,
all look away in stern distain;
outside the gate, a bad man's found.
It's blood for blood and life for life
for white mans' child and white man's wife.



Neville Briggs
Singleton Bush Poets
31 October, 2010.

[Heather]

Very nicely done Neville. I read a book on Jimmy Blacksmith a couple of months ago. It is a very sad story.

Congratulations on your win at Toolangi. I was thrilled for you.

Heather

[Neville Briggs]

Thanks Heather. I got third in the open which was a great honour.


Neville

[Zondrae]

G'day Neville,

In the open of which competition. There have been so many lately it is hard to keep track.

I have come back in to edit this post....
Pardon me, it is that "it's not all about me" fault of mine again...
Congratulations Neville. Well done. It does not matter which competition it is in you still deserve the praise.
When did you write this piece? What inspired you to tackle the particular topic?
Thanks for sharing it.

[Leonie]

Congratulations Neville. Was this the poem that won?

[Heather]

Neville won equal third (with David Campbell, no less) for his poem "In His Opinion". This was in the Adult Open Awards, Toolangi Festival, C.J. Dennis poetry competition. What a great achievement! Val Wallace was first; Will Moody second.

Perhaps you should post this poem now that it is a winner Neville.

Heather

[Neville Briggs]

Thanks Heather, Zondrae and Leonie. Heather has answered for us Leonie. And Zondrae you got a place at Toolangi also, well done. I am greatly pleased that Will Moody got a place at Toolangi, Will had a special wish to succeed in that particular comp and he's done it, fantastic And Val Wallace, the winner, terrific, a lovely lady is Val, well deserved.

Th poem about the Governors was done after I went out and sat beside the gravestone out at the lonely little cemetery at Wittingham outside Singleton. I was taken by the fact that Joe Governor, an aborigine and
" bushranger " was put outside the cemetery banished from the company of "proper" people and how all the tombstones were facing away with Joe behind them. And it was a bit of history relating to Singleton.
I entered this one in a local comp that the Council ran for the opening of their new visitors' centre and I won first prize, dinner for two at a very fancy French style restuarant. Bewdy mate

I might post the Toolangi one later Heather.



Neville

[Peely]

Congratulations Neville

Both on your success with this poem and in the Toolangi Competition. I read the "Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith" as a text in high school English in either year 11 or 12 at school. I remember hearing that Thomas Keneally based this novel on the true story of the Governor brothers.

Regards


John Peel

[Irene]

Well done Neville - a well deserved win.
Great to see our history being converted to verse.
catchya
IRene

[Maureen Clifford]

Love it Neville - and love how you have told the Aboriginal story - as a Nation our past history shows that our treatment of our Aboriginal brothers was harsh to say the least, sadly a lot of this history has been kept under wraps - but truth will out.

Thank you for sharing this with us, and congratulations on your winner.

We are lucky at ABPA - we all have front row seats in the winners circle

Cheers

Maureen.