William's Poems

According to many people who are either family, neighbours or local identities, William was a prolific poet. Sadly, many of these have not survived the ravages of time - some were purposefully destroyed because they were in the "safe keeping" of an older member of the family, who after many decades of storing them, did a clean out and made the decision that no-one would want them - after all, no one even knew she had been the keeper of them and therefore, no-one would come looking for them. And so they were burnt! BUT someone DID know she was the custodian of them and when that person enquired about them, was told this tragic account.

But all is not lost, because I discovered some, as I was doing my reaearch back in the 1970s and early 1980s and they have been included in various pages of this e-Book.

However, I have decided to duplicate them here, as well.

Mother - see "Alice Armstrong"

Dorothy - see "Neighbour MacKinnon"

In Memorium (Walter Edgar Minogue) - see "Family Minogue"

Violet - see under "Family Robertson"

The Soldier's Monument - see under William Bryce Hope

Annie - see under William Bryce Hope

MOTHER

Dear Mother of four generations

Great credit is due unto you

Not many like you in Australia

A crowd of descendants can view.

And still you are here hale and hearty

And sharp as the sharpest need be

In fact you're a bonzer old party

No better I'm sure one could see.

No doubt you've had trouble and trials

And know all the ills of this life

Of grief you have seen the dark shadows

You've known all of suffering and strife.

You've battled it all and a victor

Emerged from a combat severe

Because you were true and were steadfast

Example for all of us here.

The young ones may say that you fidget

Perhaps they may say you are cross

But when on your track they have travelled

A something they'll know of your loss.

They'll find out that you were a treasure

A first water diamond, a gem

And know that your burdens so heavy

Were suffered in patience for them.

God bless you and keep you Dear Mother

And grant that you'll live yet to see

Another, a fifth generation

A thing that can easily be.

You're worthy the thanks of the Nation

Immigration we won't need at all

If only the choice of young husbands

Upon your descendants should fall.

ANNIE

Good-bye Darling, till the morning

Thus I lay upon thy breast

O'er thy heart, now cold and pulseless

Parting words to thee addressed.

Good-bye Darling, till the morning

Brings me hopes which may not wane

And the sad farewell for ever

Never shall be said again.

William wrote these lines which were placed in Annie's coffin:

VIOLET

It was Violet Mary Robertson, the eldest child of Charles and Jenny Robertson, after whom William Bryce Hope's poem "Violet" was written. Violet was born in 1889 and attended the Edenhope State School but left school at an early age to assist her mother on the farm. Violet firstly married John Barrett, in the Willunga Catholic Church (South Australia) by Father Smith, but they parted ways shortly afterwards when Violet refused to turn Catholic. John remarried.

Later, Violet married Gerald Ward at his home in McLaren Flat, South Australia, by the Rev. Tillbrook, a Methodist Minster. Gerald and Violet only had one child, a son born twelve months after their wedding, Dick, who was baptised in the Edenhope Church of England church; although Gerald had 3 children from a previous Marriage. The four children, Dick, Rex, Lyn and Aileen all attended the McLaren Flat school. Dick Ward later attended Prince Alfred College (Adelaide) and played football for the Sturt Football Club. Sadly, not long after his engagement to Vance Warner, Dick contracted TB and died before they could be married. He is buried in the McLaren Vale cemetery.

After Gerald Ward's death, Violet met and remarried her first husband, John Barrett. They returned to Edenhope and had 16 happy years together before John died at the age of 85 years and Violet 2 years later. John and Violet Barrett are buried in the Edenhope cemetery.

A promise to a lady made

A gent must not forget

And so these lines I write for you

My charming Violet.

I trust you'll ne'er be like the flow'r

And that your sun will set

Without your ever looking blue

My fair, young Violet.

May you be like your namesake fair

In sweetness, nor regret

E'er ..... to take the bloom away

My happy Violet.

May prudence guard your every step

And kindly fate ne'er let

A shadow fall upon the life

My dear young Violet.

In fairness ever be arrayed

Deceit ne'er cast it's net

Upon the path or March the life

Of dear young Violet.

In goodness glow, in sunshine live

And joy and fortune met

Be with you aye and Mark the path

That's trod by Violet.

Written by William Bryce Hope

1 August 1906

Note: the poem had been folded for many decades and when unfolded, several creases had worn away, we were able to work out all the words except for one part in Verse 3.

DOROTHY

As you will have noted, Angus MacKinnon was closely acquainted with people of learning and intellect; Adam Lindsay Gordon, the Station owners with whom he established such a lasting friendship and the Rev. W R Buttrose. William Hope was obviously a man of education and it seems not only reasonable but also highly likely that there would be an intellectual bond besides the fact of being neighbours, about one mile apart. William Hope was so deeply moved at the death of young Dorothy MacKinnon, who was 11 years and 6 months, that he wrote a poem and presented it to the MacKinnon family shortly after Dorothy died of typhoid fever.

This lovely bud, so young, so fair

Called hence by early doom

Just came to show how sweet a flower

In Paradise would bloom.

'Ere sin could harm or sorrow fade

Death came with friendly care

The opening bud to heaven conveyed

And bade it blossom there.

The river flows on to the deep blue sea

And the bird flies home to her nest

While time rolls on the eternity

With a movement that knows no rest.

THE SOLDIER'S MONUMENT

... Oh! Thou who God of battles art

From us hide not thy fall

But cause thy love in ev'ry heart

To find a dwelling place.

And may thy love throughout the world

Expand still more and more

Till peace her banner has unfurled

O'er every sea and shore

NOTE: This poem was given to me by one of the family who has since died. The paper had yellowed over time and as it had been folded for decades, the first part of the poem was illegible. However, those words that remain are still worth recording.

IN MEMORIUM - WALTER

Gone from earthly care and pain

With thy Redeemer, Christ, to reign

Unending joy thy lot shall be

And glories bright thine eyes shall see.

Dread stillness is upon thy brow

Thine infant voice is hushed now

And yet know we it's tones shall ring

Where ransomed spirits sweetly sing.

From earthly cares thou art absolved

For thee the riddle dread is solved

No longer dimmed by mortal haze

Shall be thy vision's raptured gaze.

Thy parents fond may mourn thee here

And grief may drop it's soothing tear

But to this world of care and pain

We would not call thee back again.

Ah! No the message was but sent

To take back that which God had lent

Though hidden deep from mortal eyes

The secrets of the Great All Wise.

But yet we'll miss thee, for thy place

No longer shows they sweet, young face

Nor will our hearts again rejoice

To hear the accents of thy voice.

Still we 'ere long must homeward hie

Like thee beneath the sod must lie

Till the last trump shall all awake

And death's long, solemn slumber break.

So now, dear little friend, farewell

We know that with thee all is well

And trust when next we meet with thee

'Twill be beside the Crystal Sea.

William Bryce Hope

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