On this day… September 2, in 1922 one of Australia’s best known writers, Henry Lawson died.
Henry Lawson
Henry Lawson was born on 17 June 1867, on the Grenfell goldfields in New South Wales. He became one of Australia’s best-known fiction writers of the colonial period. Most of his works dwelt on the Australian bush, accurately depicting the difficult conditions of life on dry, dusty outback stations and in bush towns.
Among Henry Lawson’s prolific works is a beautiful poem that is relevant to the work that we do here at the Samuel Morris Foundation.
The Water Lily – Henry Lawson
A lonely young wife
In her dreaming discerns
A lily-decked pool
With a border of ferns,
And a beautiful child,
With butterfly wings,
Trips down to the edge of the water and sings:
‘Come, mamma! come!
‘Quick! follow me—
‘Step out on the leaves of the water-lily!’
And the lonely young wife,
Her heart beating wild,
Cries, ‘Wait till I come,
‘Till I reach you, my child!’
But the beautiful child
With butterfly wings
Steps out on the leaves of the lily and sings:
‘Come, mamma! come!
‘Quick! follow me!
‘And step on the leaves of the water-lily!
And the wife in her dreaming
Steps out on the stream,
But the lily leaves sink
And she wakes from her dream.
Ah, the waking is sad,
For the tears that it brings,
And she knows ’tis her dead baby’s spirit that sings:
‘Come, mamma! come!
‘Quick! follow me!
‘Step out on the leaves of the water-lily!’
……and if the poem touched you… please make a donation to help us in our work to stop more mums (and dad’s) ever having to experience the feeling described in this poem.
Water Lily image by http://www.flickr.com/photos/hinnosaar/
This is very touching and as relevant today as the day it was written. My great grandfather lost three of his children to drowning. Two toddlers and a 26 year old. Drowning was very prevalent in the early days of Australia’s history. People lived by creeks and rivers and there was no such thing as drowning prevention.
In our modern world the message is very strong: PUT YOUR EYES ON YOUR KIDS, TEACH WATER AWARENESS EARLY, FENCE THE POOL, MAINTAIN THE FENCE AND GATE.
IF WE FOLLOW SIMPLE INSTRUCTION WE WILL SAVE PRECIOUS LIVES.
Thanks Leonie, your family really has been touched by this experience. Congratulations on the great work you did with KIDSAFE Hunter around water safety!
Thank you too for all your support. I wish the foundation more and more success. The Hunter Pool Safety Network will continue after I leave in October. Love and best wishes to you all.
p.s. Our family was rocked to the core in March this year when my son in law’s brother drowned at Bells Beach saving the lives of five students from the school he taught at.
This loss has resounded around the world. He was a pivitol cog in the wheel of Victorian basketball, at the school he taught and his brothers best friend in the world and one of his nephews idol. He left a wife and a beautiful 5 year old daughter who misses him badly. Such a waste of life. He was a good swimmer, knew the surf, experienced snorkler – how do these tragedies happen?