The Man Who Raised Charlestown
They were hanging men in Buckland who would not cheer King George
The parson from his pulpit and the blacksmith from his forge;
They were hanging men and brothers, and the stoutest heart was down,
When a quiet man from Buckland rode at dusk to raise Charlestown.
Not a young man in his glory filled with patriotic fire,
Not an orator or soldier, or a known man in his shire;
He was just the Unexpected one of Danger's Volunteers,
At a time for which he'd waited, all unheard of, many years.
And Charlestown met in council, the quiet man to hear
The town was large and wealthy, but the folks were filled with fear,
The fear of death and plunder; and none to lead had they,
And Self fought Patriotism as will always be the way.
The man turned to the people, and he spoke in anger then.
And crooked his finger here and there to those he marked as men.
And many gathered round him to see what they could do
For men know men in danger, as they know the cowards too.
He chose his men and captains, and sent them here and there,...
Read more of the poem
Poems by Henry Lawson
