PAST CARIN'
(Henry Lawson)

Now up and down the sidling brown,
The great black crows are flyin',
And down below the spur I know,
Another milker's dyin'.
The crops have withered from the ground.
The tank's clay bed is glarin'.
But from my heart no tear nor sound,
For I have got past carin'.
Past worryin' or carin',
Past feelin' aught or carin',
But from my heart no tear nor sound,
For I have got past carin'.

Through death and trouble turn about,
Through hopeless desolation,
Through flood and fever, fire and drought,
And slavery and starvation,
Through childbirth, sickness, hurt and blight,
And nervousness and scarin',
Through bein' left alone at night,
I've come to be past carin'.
Past botherin' or carin',
Past feelin' and past carin',
Through city cheats and neighbours' spite,
I've come to be past carin'.

Our first child took, in days like these,
A cruel week in dyin',
All day upon her father's knees
Or on my poor breast lyin'.
The tears we shed, the prayers we said,
Were awful wild, despairin'.
I've pulled three through and buried two
Since then, and I'm past carin'.
I've grown to be past carin',
Lookin' up or carin',
I've pulled three through and buried two
Since then, and I'm past carin'.

'Twas ten years first, then came the worst
All for a barren clearin'.
I thought, I thought my heart would burst
When first my man went shearin'.
He's drovin' in the great northwest.
I don't know how he's farin'.
And I, the one that loved him best,
Have grown to be past carin'.
I've grown to be past carin',
Past waitin' and past wearin'.
The girl that waited long ago
Has lived to be past carin'.

My eyes are dry. I cannot cry.
I've got no heart for breakin'.
But where it was in days gone by
A dull and empty achin',
My last boy ran away from me.
I know my temper's wearin'.
But now I only wish to be
Beyond all signs of carin'.
Past wearyin' or carin',
Past feelin' and despairin',
And now I only wish to be
Beyond all signs of carin'.

@aging
filename[ PASTCARE
JD
mudcat.org

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