Mary Called Him Mister: Henry Lawson

Every now and again I like to post a favourite Australian poem. So here we are again with an unusually light-hearted verse from the normally dark Henry Lawson.

Mary Called Him Mister
by Henry Lawson (1867-1922)

They’d parted but a year ago – she thought he’d ne’er come back;
She stammered, blushed, held out her hand, and called him “Mister Mack”.
How could he know that all the while she longed to murmur “John”? —
He called her “Miss le Brook”, and asked “How she was getting on”.

They’d parted but a year before, they’d loved each other well,
But he’d been down to Sydney since, and came back such a swell.
They longed to meet in fond embrace, they hungered for a kiss —
But Mary called him Mister, and the idiot called her Miss.

He paused, and leaned against the door — a stupid chap was he —
And, when she asked if he’d come in and have a cup of tea,
He looked to left, he looked to right, and then he glanced behind …..
And slowly doffed his cabbage-tree….and said he “didn’t mind”.

She made a shy apology because the meat was tough,
Then asked if he was quite, quite sure the tea was sweet enough;
He stirred his tea, and sipped it twice, and answered “plenty, quite”.
And cut himself a slice of beef, and said that it was “right”.

She glanced at him, at times, and coughed and awkward little cough;
He stared at anything but her and said, “I must be off”.
That evening he went riding north — a sad and lonely ride —
She locked herself inside her room, and sat her down and cried.

They’d parted but a year before, they loved each other well —
But she was such a country girl and he’d grown such a swell;
They longed to meet in fond embrace, they hungered for a kiss —
But Mary called him Mister, and the idiot called her Miss.

Copied from ‘The Poetical Works of Henry Lawson’
Angus and Robertson
First Published 1918

Derek Haines

Derek Haines (AKA The Vandal) is an author and a retired English teacher. He spends most of his time writing, blogging, and fixing technology that goes wrong. You can find his latest writing and publishing articles at Just Publishing Advice.