Bellbirds
By channels of coolness the echoes are calling,
And down the dim gorges I hear the creek falling;
It lives in the mountain, where moss and the sedges
Touch with their beauty the banks and the ledges;
Through brakes of the cedar and sycamore bowers
Struggles the light that is love to the flowers.
And, softer than slumber, and sweeter than singing,
The notes of the bell-birds are running and ringing.
The silver-voiced bell-birds, the darlings of day-time,
They sing in September their songs of the May-time.
When shadows wax strong and the thunder-bolts hurtle,
They hide with their fear in the leaves of the myrtle;
When rain and the sunbeams shine mingled together
They start up like fairies that follow fair weather,
And straightway the hues of their feathers unfolden
Are the green and the purple, the blue and the golden.
October, the maiden of bright yellow tresses,
Loiters for love in these cool wildernesses;
Loiters knee-deep in the grasses to listen,
Where dripping rocks gleam and the leafy pools glisten.
Then is the time when the water-moons splendid
Break with their gold, and are scattered or blended
Over the creeks, till the woodlands have warning
Of songs of the bell-bird and wings of the morning.
Welcome as waters unkissed by the summers
Are the voices of bell-birds to thirsty far-comers.
When fiery December sets foot in the forest,
And the need of the wayfarer presses the sorest,
Pent in the ridges for ever and ever.
The bell-birds direct him to spring and to river,
With ring and with ripple, like runnels whose torrents
Are toned by the pebbles and leaves in the currents.
Often I sit, looking back to a childhood
Mixt with the sights and the sounds of the wildwood,
Longing for power and the sweetness to fashion
Lyrics with beats like the heart-beats of passion --
Songs interwoven of lights and of laughters
Borrowed from bell-birds in far forest rafters;
So I might keep in the city and alleys
The beauty and strength of the deep mountain valleys,
Charming to slumber the pain of my losses
With glimpses of creeks and a vision of mosses.
Henry Kendall
Henry Kendall was found ill (aka drunk?) and taken in for 18 months by the landlord of the Red Cow Inn, West Gosford, NSW by which time he had had enough of him. He did however write the above poem.
[allpoetry.com]
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.How very odd. Just looked up Henry Kendall because of this poem and realised my grandmother's sister was married to one of his cousin's, not that I'm actually related to my grandmother, being adopted, or that the Kendalls of Ulladulla weren't a very large family. Only ever looked at that relationship because I ended up inheriting an old campaign desk and a Boer War medal both belonging to Kendalls which got me curious.
How strange to end up as the last man standing, only related by marriage and adopted to boot, of such a family.
Kimba
Level 7
Feb 8, 2018
0
What a lovely coincidence. There is a tiny badly run museum in W.Gosford called the Henry Kendall museum. I used to be a member. I'm sure that they would love to hear from you. The museum is in the old inn premises and should be called the Red Cow .. after 18 months the landlord, I surmise here, was tired of Henry's alcoholic ways and sponging off him so eventually managed to send him further north to be bookkeeper for timber cutters up Dungog way. I'm not sure now if they were Kendalls or related to the innkeeper! Delighted that you came across the post. Are all the Kendalls now dead or just your branch?
@FrayedBear Hard to say what became of the Kendalls. My Grandmother had eight brothers and sisters and the third eldest Daisy Maude Atkinson married Robert Wesley Kendall. They had a son Keith born 1908 who I can only find occasional references to in police reports. As for the rest of the family I have no idea but it was Thomas Surfleet Kendall's campaign chest I ended up with who was Henry Kendalls uncle.
@Kimba Campaign chest from which war? The first Australian action was the Boer war. Henry died in 1882 20 years before Keith was born ....
@FrayedBear This is where it gets hard to trace. It is actually a campaign desk, folds out to a writing slope complete with brass candlesticks, secret compartments, wax seal, the works. It has a brass plaque on it with the name Thomas Surfleet Kendall. By the time it came to me they'd lost the key and had tried some very heavy handed methods of getting the secret compartments open. I managed to get a key made to fit and find the catches to, I think, all of the compartments. It came from one of my aunts' places down at Kiama I believe, possibly Fernleigh, but this happened before I was born.
The Boer War medal belongs to Robert Wesley Kendall (the name is on the rim) who was married to my greataunt, Keith was their son. Robert Wesley Kendall born 1870 was I believe the son of Thomas Surfleet Kendall (1807-1883) (given the campaign desk this is likely) who was oldest brother of Basil Kendall who was Henry Kendall's father. However given this all happened 150 years ago in Ulladulla the records aren't the best.
@Kimba Fascinating. My grandfather who died when I was about three years old, to the best of my calculations was born about 1860. I have no records or heirlooms. Like you I am the last of the lineage. In my case because of WWI not just killing the male members - my father was the youngest of 15 but also resulting in many of his sisters remaining spinsters. The following, although a modern song, moves me to tears whenever I hear it. I was introduced to it by a gentle giant who weighed over 30 stone. Vale Pete Roger I remember.
@FrayedBear Well my father was one of two that my grandmother had in her 40s, my aunt couldn't have children then my parents adopted me when they were in their 40s, so getting very thin on the ground as I'm the oldest one still alive but I do have a son.
@Kimba I'm just totally gobsmacked that out of 6 billion people worldwide, you in WA, me Vic we have encountered each other through a poem that for many Australians was once standard fare in primary school for me unknown until 25 years ago. Thank you for sharing so freely. If you are ever in W.Vic give me a cooee and I will be delighted to show you the highlights or just have a beverage.
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