Waltzing Matilda Comments

A wonderful romantic poem set in the out back in an era in Australia, which has become the land of myth and legend. Hard to come from down under and not know this poem, especially as a song, which invokes many memories. I always found the ending haunting and wondered what the sentence during the time setting of the poem was, for stealing a jumbuck, was the punishment for sheep stealing a long jail sentence by death by hanging. Banjo Paterson is an endearing poet with a wonderful eye for detail and the feel of the time expressed in many of his other popular poems.

I did not know that the song Waltzing Matilda was originally a poem. I cannot help but sing it in my head as I read this...

This used to be a popular song when I was a kid (many, many years ago) . I guess many songs started out as poems (such as A Boy named Sue by Shel Silverstein, later sung by Johnny Cash) .

One of the great poems. Can feel the song and dance in the words.

Very nice poem with good imagery and great cadence, to say the least. This poem has a Dr. Seuss like firmiliarity about it! Great poem indeed! :)

I liked this poem a lot but didn't understand it properly. Please can anybody explain it?

Cannot believe this has but not a single comment... came here a special... to remember school days, ants, and singing merrily through transitioning of baby teeth to big 'uns... morning assemblies in the sun... drinking from milk bottles at little lunch every day... and today... I sang again.. poetry to please...