Clancy of the
Overflow
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1. I had written him a letter which I had, for want of better
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knowledge, sent to where I met
him down the
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He was shearing when I knew
him, so I sent the letter to him,
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just "on spec",
addressed as follows, "Clancy, of The Overflow".
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2. And an answer came directed in a writing
unexpected,
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and I think the same was
written with a thumb-nail dipped in tar,
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’twas his shearing mate who
wrote it, and verbatim I will quote it:
"Clancy's gone to
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and we don't know where he are."
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3. In my wild erratic fancy visions come to me of Clancy,
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gone
a-droving "down the Cooper" where the Western drovers go.
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As the stock are slowly
stringing, Clancy rides behind them singing,
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for the drover's life has
pleasures that the townsfolk never know.
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4. And the bush hath friends to meet him,
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and their kindly voices greet
him,
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A
in the
murmur of the breezes and the river on its bars.
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And he sees the vision
splendid of the sunlit plains extended,
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and at night the wond'rous glory of the everlasting stars.
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6. And in place of lowing cattle, I can hear the fiendish rattle
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A
of the
tramways and the buses making hurry down the street.
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And the language uninviting of
the gutter children fighting,
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comes
fitfully and faintly through the ceaseless tramp of feet.
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7. And the hurrying people daunt me, and their pallid faces haunt me,
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as they shoulder one another
in their rush and nervous haste.
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With their eager eyes and
greedy, and their stunted forms and weedy,
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A
for townsfolk have no time to
grow, they have no time to waste.
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8. And I somehow rather fancy that I'd like to change with Clancy,
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like to take
a turn at droving where the seasons come and go.
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While he faced the round
eternal of the cash-book and the journal,
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but I doubt he'd suit the
office, Clancy of "The Overflow".
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3. In my wild erratic fancy visions come to me of Clancy,
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gone
a-droving "down the Cooper" where the Western drovers go.
E
As the stock are slowly
stringing, Clancy rides behind them singing,
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for the drover's life has
pleasures that the townsfolk never know.
(Slim Dusty)