Poem by Andrew Barton Paterson

Tar and Feathers

Oh! the circus swooped down 
On the Narrabri town, 
For the Narrabri populace moneyed are; 
And the showman he smiled 
At the folk he beguiled 
To come all the distance from Gunnedah. 
But a juvenile smart, 
Who objected to ”part”, 
Went in on the nod, and to do it he 
Crawled in through a crack 
In the tent at the back, 
For the boy had no slight ingenuity. 

And says he with a grin, 
”That’s the way to get in; 
But I reckon I’d better be quiet or 
They’ll spiflicate me,” 
And he chuckled, for he 
Had the loan of the circus proprietor. 

But the showman astute 
On that wily galoot 
Soon dropped -- you’ll be thinking he leathered him -- 
Not he; with a grim 
Sort of humourous whim, 
He took him and tarred him and feathered him. 

Says he, ”You can go 
Round the world with a show, 
And knock every Injun and Arab wry; 
With your name and your trade 
On the posters displayed, 
The feathered what-is-it from Narrabri. 

Next day for his freak 
By a Narrabri Beak, 
He was jawed with a deal of verbosity; 
For his only appeal 
Was ”professional zeal” -- 
He wanted another monstrosity. 

Said his Worship, ”Begob! 
You are fined forty bob, 
And six shillin’s costs to the clurk!” he says. 
And the Narrabri joy, 
Half bird and half boy. 
Has a ”down” on himself and on circuses.

1. The Wargeilah Handicap
2. The Maori’s Wool
3. “Shouting” for a Camel
4. The Man Who Was Away
5. The Pannikin Poet

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