Hanrahan
When I was teaching, this was my favourite poem to introduce to children. We'd dress up in character and present it as a play. I think it says a great deal about how we tick! Nothing has changed since this was written over a century ago. I love that it was written by an Australian, Father P. J. Hartigan, aka John O'Brien.
SAID HANRAHAN.
"We'll all be rooned," said Hanrahan
In accents most forlorn
Outside the church ere Mass began
One frosty Sunday morn.
The congregation stood about,
Coat-collars to the ears,
And talked of stock and crops and drought
As it had done for years.
"It's lookin' crook," said Daniel Croke;
"Bedad, it's cruke, me lad
For never since the banks went broke
Has seasons been so bad.
"It's dry, all right," said young O'Neil,
With which astute remark
He squatted down upon his heel
And chewed a piece of bark.
And so around the chorus ran
"It's keepin' dry, no...
