Poem by Anonymous

Jim Jones at Botany Bay

Oh listen for a moment, lads,
	And hear me tell my tale,
How o’er the sea from England’s shore
	I was compelled to sail.

The jury says he guilty sir
	And the hanging judge says he                                                                                                     For life Jim Jones I’m sending you
	Across the stormy sea

And take my tip before you ship
	To join the Iron Gang,
Don’t be too gay at Botany Bay
	Or else you’ll surely hang

Or else you’ll hang, he days, says he,
	And after that, Jim Jones,
High up upon the gallows tree
	The crows will pick your bones.

You’ll have no chance for mischief then,
	Remember what I say,
They’ll flog the poaching out of you
	Out there at Botany Bay.

The winds blew high upon the sea,
	The pirates came along,
But the soldiers on our convict ship
	Were full five hundred strong.

They opened fire and somehow drove
	That pirate ship away.
I’d rather joined that pirate ship
	Than come to Botany Bay.

For night and day the irons clang
	And like poor galley slaves 
We toil and toil, and when we die
	Must fill dishonoured graves.

But bye and bye I’ll break my chains,
	Into the bush I’ll go
And join the bold bushrangers there –
	Jack Donahoo and Co.

And some dark night when everything
	Is silent in this town
I’ll kill the tyrants, one and all,
	And shoot the floggers down.

I’ll give the law a little shock,
	Remember what I say,
They’ll yet regret they sent Jim Jones
	In chains to Botany Bay.

1. The Banks o’ Glaizart
2. Sir Richard Whittington’s Advancement
3. The Cave of Pope
4. Blenheim
5. Kitty of Coleraine

Print

1996 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version