William's Poems
William's Poems
According to many people who are either family, neighbours or local identities, William was a prolific poet. Sadly, many of these have not survived the ravages of time - some were purposefully destroyed because they were in the "safe keeping" of an older member of the family, who after many decades of storing them, did a clean out and made the decision that no-one would want them - after all, no one even knew she had been the keeper of them and therefore, no-one would come looking for them. And so they were burnt! BUT someone DID know she was the custodian of them and when that person enquired about them, was told this tragic account.
But all is not lost, because I discovered some, as I was doing my reaearch back in the 1970s and early 1980s and they have been included in various pages of this e-Book.
However, I have decided to duplicate them here, as well.
Mother - see "Alice Armstrong"
Dorothy - see "Neighbour MacKinnon"
In Memorium (Walter Edgar Minogue) - see "Family Minogue"
Violet - see under "Family Robertson"
The Soldier's Monument - see under William Bryce Hope
Annie - see under William Bryce Hope
MOTHER
Dear Mother of four generations
Great credit is due unto you
Not many like you in Australia
A crowd of descendants can view.
And still you are here hale and hearty
And sharp as the sharpest need be
In fact you're a bonzer old party
No better I'm sure one could see.
No doubt you've had trouble and trials
And know all the ills of this life
Of grief you have seen the dark shadows
You've known all of suffering and strife.
You've battled it all and a victor
Emerged from a combat severe
Because you were true and were steadfast
Example for all of us here.
The young ones may say that you fidget
Perhaps they may say you are cross
But when on your track they have travelled
A something they'll know of your loss.
They'll find out that you were a treasure
A first water diamond, a gem
And know that your burdens so heavy
Were suffered in patience for them.
God bless you and keep you Dear Mother
And grant that you'll live yet to see
Another, a fifth generation
A thing that can easily be.
You're worthy the thanks of the Nation
Immigration we won't need at all
If only the choice of young husbands
Upon your descendants should fall.
ANNIE
Good-bye Darling, till the morning
Thus I lay upon thy breast
O'er thy heart, now cold and pulseless
Parting words to thee addressed.
Good-bye Darling, till the morning
Brings me hopes which may not wane
And the sad farewell for ever
Never shall be said again.
William wrote these lines which were placed in Annie's coffin:
VIOLET
It was Violet Mary Robertson, the eldest child of Charles and Jenny Robertson, after whom William Bryce Hope's poem "Violet" was written. Violet was born in 1889 and attended the Edenhope State School but left school at an early age to assist her mother on the farm. Violet firstly married John Barrett, in the Willunga Catholic Church (South Australia) by Father Smith, but they parted ways shortly afterwards when Violet refused to turn Catholic. John remarried.
Later, Violet married Gerald Ward at his home in McLaren Flat, South Australia, by the Rev. Tillbrook, a Methodist Minster. Gerald and Violet only had one child, a son born twelve months after their wedding, Dick, who was baptised in the Edenhope Church of England church; although Gerald had 3 children from a previous Marriage. The four children, Dick, Rex, Lyn and Aileen all attended the McLaren Flat school. Dick Ward later attended Prince Alfred College (Adelaide) and played football for the Sturt Football Club. Sadly, not long after his engagement to Vance Warner, Dick contracted TB and died before they could be married. He is buried in the McLaren Vale cemetery.
After Gerald Ward's death, Violet met and remarried her first husband, John Barrett. They returned to Edenhope and had 16 happy years together before John died at the age of 85 years and Violet 2 years later. John and Violet Barrett are buried in the Edenhope cemetery.
A promise to a lady made
A gent must not forget
And so these lines I write for you
My charming Violet.
I trust you'll ne'er be like the flow'r
And that your sun will set
Without your ever looking blue
My fair, young Violet.
May you be like your namesake fair
In sweetness, nor regret
E'er ..... to take the bloom away
My happy Violet.
May prudence guard your every step
And kindly fate ne'er let
A shadow fall upon the life
My dear young Violet.
In fairness ever be arrayed
Deceit ne'er cast it's net
Upon the path or March the life
Of dear young Violet.
In goodness glow, in sunshine live
And joy and fortune met
Be with you aye and Mark the path
That's trod by Violet.
Written by William Bryce Hope
1 August 1906
Note: the poem had been folded for many decades and when unfolded, several creases had worn away, we were able to work out all the words except for one part in Verse 3.
DOROTHY
As you will have noted, Angus MacKinnon was closely acquainted with people of learning and intellect; Adam Lindsay Gordon, the Station owners with whom he established such a lasting friendship and the Rev. W R Buttrose. William Hope was obviously a man of education and it seems not only reasonable but also highly likely that there would be an intellectual bond besides the fact of being neighbours, about one mile apart. William Hope was so deeply moved at the death of young Dorothy MacKinnon, who was 11 years and 6 months, that he wrote a poem and presented it to the MacKinnon family shortly after Dorothy died of typhoid fever.
This lovely bud, so young, so fair
Called hence by early doom
Just came to show how sweet a flower
In Paradise would bloom.
'Ere sin could harm or sorrow fade
Death came with friendly care
The opening bud to heaven conveyed
And bade it blossom there.
The river flows on to the deep blue sea
And the bird flies home to her nest
While time rolls on the eternity
With a movement that knows no rest.
THE SOLDIER'S MONUMENT
... Oh! Thou who God of battles art
From us hide not thy fall
But cause thy love in ev'ry heart
To find a dwelling place.
And may thy love throughout the world
Expand still more and more
Till peace her banner has unfurled
O'er every sea and shore
NOTE: This poem was given to me by one of the family who has since died. The paper had yellowed over time and as it had been folded for decades, the first part of the poem was illegible. However, those words that remain are still worth recording.
IN MEMORIUM - WALTER
Gone from earthly care and pain
With thy Redeemer, Christ, to reign
Unending joy thy lot shall be
And glories bright thine eyes shall see.
Dread stillness is upon thy brow
Thine infant voice is hushed now
And yet know we it's tones shall ring
Where ransomed spirits sweetly sing.
From earthly cares thou art absolved
For thee the riddle dread is solved
No longer dimmed by mortal haze
Shall be thy vision's raptured gaze.
Thy parents fond may mourn thee here
And grief may drop it's soothing tear
But to this world of care and pain
We would not call thee back again.
Ah! No the message was but sent
To take back that which God had lent
Though hidden deep from mortal eyes
The secrets of the Great All Wise.
But yet we'll miss thee, for thy place
No longer shows they sweet, young face
Nor will our hearts again rejoice
To hear the accents of thy voice.
Still we 'ere long must homeward hie
Like thee beneath the sod must lie
Till the last trump shall all awake
And death's long, solemn slumber break.
So now, dear little friend, farewell
We know that with thee all is well
And trust when next we meet with thee
'Twill be beside the Crystal Sea.