Old Botany Bay
"I'm old
Botany Bay;
stiff in the joints,
little to say.
I am he
who paved the way,
that you might walk
at your ease to-day;
I was the conscript
sent to hell
to make in the desert
the living well;
I bore the heat,
I blazed the track-
furrowed and bloody
upon my back.
I split the rock;
I felled the tree:
The nation was-
Because of me!
Old Botany Bay
Taking the sun
from day to day...
shame on the mouth
that would deny
the knotted hands
that set us high!
poem by Dame Mary Gilmore

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Related quotes
Jim Jones
O, listen for a moment lads, and hear me tell my tale-
how o'er the sea from England's shore I was compelled to sail.
The jury said, "He's guilty Sir," and says the judge, says he-
"For life Jim Jones, I'm sending you across the stormy sea;
and take my tip before you ship to join the iron-gang.
don't be too gay at Botany Bay, or else you'll surely hang-
Or else you'll hang" he says, says he- "and after that Jim Jones,
high up upon the gallows-tree the crows will pick your bones-
You'll have no chance for mischeif then; remember what I say,
They'll flog the poaching out of you, out there at Botany Bay"
The winds blew high upon the sea, and the pirates come along,
but the soldiers on our convict ship were full five hundred strong,
they opened fire and somehow drove that pirate ship away.
I'd have rather joined that pirate ship than come to Botany Bay.
For night and day, the irons clang, and like poor galley slaves
we toil, and toil and when we die must fill dishonoured graves.
But by and by I'll break my chains; into the bush I'll go
and join the brave bushrangers there - Jack Donohoo and Co.
and some dark night when everything is silent in the town
I'll kill the tyrants one and all and shoot the floggers down;
I'll give the law a little shock; remember what I say,
They'll yet regret they sent Jim Jones in chains to Botany Bay.
poem by Anonymous Oceania

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Botany Bay
I am writing to say its over
everything between us is through.
I am leaving in the morning
on a convict ship
to a place called Botany Bay.
My only crime
was that of loving you.
I stole from the Gentry
to keep our bellies fed,
got caught and sentenced
to go away,
far across the sea
to a place called Botany Bay.
5 April 2008
poem by David Harris

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Jim Jones
1. come and listen for a moment, lads,
And hear me tell my tale.
How across the sea from england
I was condemned to sail.
Now the jury found me guilty,
Then says the judge, says he,
Oh, for life, jim jones, Im sending you
Across the stormy sea.
But take a tip before you ship
To join the iron gang.
Dont get too gay in botany bay,
Or else youll surely hang.
Or else youll surely hang, says he.
And after that, jim jones,
Its high above on the gallows tree
The crows will pick your bones.
2. and our ship was high upon the sea
Then pirates came along,
But the soldiers on our convict ship
Were full five hundred strong.
For they opened fire and somehow drove
That pirate ship away.
But Id rather have joined that pirate ship
Tan gone to botany bay.
With the storms ragin round us,
And the winds a-blowin gale,
Id rather have drowned in misery
Than gone to new south wales.
3. now its day and night and the irons clang,
And like poor galley slaves
We toil and toil, and when we die
Must fill dishonored graves,
And its by and by Ill slip my chains,
Well, into the bush Ill go
And Ill join the bravest rankers there,
Jack donohue and co.
And some dark night, when everything
Is silent in the town
Ill shoot those tyrants one and all,
Ill gun the flogger down.
Oh, Ill give the land a little shock,
Remember what I say,
And theyll yet regret theyve sent jim jones
In chains to botany bay.
song performed by by Bob Dylan

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Not to Keep
They sent him back to her. The letter came
Saying... And she could have him. And before
She could be sure there was no hidden ill
Under the formal writing, he was in her sight,
Living. They gave him back to her alive
How else? They are not known to send the dead
And not disfigured visibly. His face?
His hands? She had to look, and ask,
"What was it, dear?" And she had given all
And still she had all they had they the lucky!
Wasn’t she glad now? Everything seemed won,
And all the rest for them permissible ease.
She had to ask, "What was it, dear?"
"Enough,"
Yet not enough. A bullet through and through,
High in the breast. Nothing but what good care
And medicine and rest, and you a week,
Can cure me of to go again." The same
Grim giving to do over for them both.
She dared no more than ask him with her eyes
How was it with him for a second trial.
And with his eyes he asked her not to ask.
They had given him back to her, but not to keep.
poem by Robert Frost

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Make Me Like An Evergreen Tree
Plant me by the rivers, Oh Living God
That I may drink of thee
Plant me by the rivers oh Living God
Make me like an evergreen tree
My delight is in the law and it is my roots
Sunk down deeper ever closer to thee
Lead me to the Rock that is higher that I
Make me like an evergreen tree
Though the landscape turns to desert
And the world turns its back on thee
Night and day I shall come before you
Make me like an evergreen tree
May I walk in the council of the Godly
Walking ever closer to thee
May I be a vessel for thy good pleasure
Make me like an evergreen tree
poem by Frank McEleny

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Psalm 1
Plant me by the rivers, Oh Living God
That I may drink of thee
Plant me by the rivers oh Living God
Make me like an evergreen tree
My delight is in the law and it is my roots
Sunk down deeper ever closer to thee
Lead me to the Rock that is higher that I
Make me like an evergreen tree
Though the landscape turns to desert
And the world turns its back on thee
Night and day I shall come before you
Make me like an evergreen tree
So may I walk in the council of the Godly
Walking ever closer to thee
May I be a vessel for thy good pleasure
Make me like an evergreen tree
poem by Frank McEleny

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Bloody Luxury
(coverdale)
Now when I first met you
I was rolling along,
Just a bar room crooner
Singing heartbreak songs,
An I supposed I could never get next to you
But, you seemed quite happy with my company
You kept my body heat steady at 103,
With your mouth full of gimme
An your body full of much obliged
Its bloody luxury
What you mean to me,
Bloody luxury
What you do to me
Its bloody luxury
What you mean to me,
cos no matter what you do to me
Its bloody luxury
Bloody luxury...
Youre a five star woman,
An you know what to give
To fill a part time loser
Full of reasons to live,
But, theres no doubt about it
Im taking a chance on you
Becos you get my heart beating heavy,
Make my knees go weak
You get me so damn nervous
I can hardly speak,
But, nothings gonna stop me
Hanging on my good luck charm
Its bloody luxury
What you mean to me,
Bloody luxury
What you do to me
Its bloody luxury
What you mean to me,
cos no matter what you do to me
Its bloody luxury
Bloody luxury...
Its bloody luxury
What you mean to me,
Bloody luxury
Honey what you do to me
Its bloody luxury
What you mean to me,
cos no matter what you do to me
Its bloody luxury
Bloody luxury
What you mean to me,
Bloody luxury
Honey what you do to me
Its bloody luxury
What you mean to me,
cos no matter what you do to me,
No matter what you do to me,
No matter what you do to me,
Its bloody luxury
Bloody luxury
Bloody luxury...
song performed by by Whitesnake

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Roots Of Creation
One two three four!
Pull up here honey, if ya got a pussy and
Shake your ass like your ready to sing
Well, something muy high
Something muy low
When me ready limo then they follow me home like a
Roots of creation
I am living in a boring nation
I pull up my hands and I look at my feet
The reggae music make me sound so sweet
Cause we play it morning evening and all of the day
It's the sweet kinda music makes me feel O.K.
The roots of creation
Said I am living in a plastic nation
I pull up my hat
My coat is so wide
Sometimes, sometimes I feel so high
But all the time I feel airie
I feel airie when I'm down with the scene called
Roots of creation
I am living in a plastic nation
One more time!
Well, pull up here honey like you got limbo
Well pull up your fingers like you're ready to go
Give me
Give me something high
Give me something slow
Give me something I can use
Give me something I can know
Your the body and the mind one
Part of soul or two
I feel a different person to be a different place
I'm living in a different place
Sometime I feel although its fin
Pull up your style make it sound so fine
With ah
Pull up hands with me
Roots of creation
I am living in a boring nation
A pull up sound with Mike Happoldt at my left
I got Eric at my right
We rock the reggae music every day and night
We rock the reggae music say it's right on time
Cause you're down with the music that they call Sublime
I'm living in a different nation
Reggae style again!
Gonna win me back gonna feel so fine
Bring me down to the place so right
We rock the music so late at night
With a guitar pick in my hand
What amounts to make me a man
Me help a little girl like this
Called the roots of creation
I am living in a plastic nation
I pull up my hand, left pocket
Do the music, make me say me feel it
Read me on rights and me know me are wrong
Me am a white boy but I sing a reggae song
Called roots of creation
I am living in a plastic nation
My hands are high
My ink is dry
My love for you, it will never die
Say me love you till me will testify
Me love the music make me feel so high
Song called roots of creation
I am living in a plastic nation
Oh in a plastic nation
Such a boring station... a boring
One more time!
Pull up here honey if you got limbo
Pull it up make it up bounce I don't want it to be slow
I wanna make it sound right
I wanna make it sound strong
Give me kind of music make you rock all night
Like a roots of creation
I am living in a boring nation
So cheer up my life
Cheer up my life
Take out the trouble
Take out take out the strife
Give me some music make it sound so nice
Give me kinda music make we wanna singa song twice
Like roots of creation
I am living in a plastic nation
I pull up my hand
My seat is wobbly
Pull up your hands and it sounds like this
Cause I like my beer dry
Drink the gin and the gin
Love the kinda drink ya know make me sick
Me don't feel no nice but likewise
Make me drink gin like wine twice
I only make me feel so sadder, aya!
song performed by by Sublime

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I like your books
In the betting line the other
day
man behind me asked,
"are you Henry
Chinaski?"
"uh huh," I answered.
"I like your books," he went
on.
"thanks," I answered.
"who do you like in this
race?" he asked.
"uh uh," I answered.
"I like the 4 horse," he
told me.
I made my bet and went back
to my seat....
the next race I am standing in
line and here is this same man
standing behind me
again.
there are at least 50 lines at
the windows but
he has to find mine
again.
"I think this race favors the
closers," he said to the back of
my neck. "the track looks
heavy."
"listen," I said, not looking
around, "it's the kiss of death to
talk about horses at the
track..."
"what kind of rule is that?"
he asked. "God doesn't make
rules..."
I turned around and looked at him:
"maybe not, but I
do."
after the next race
I got in line, glanced behind
me:
he was not there:
lost another reader.
I lose 2 or 3 each
week.
fine.
let 'em go back to
Kafka.
poem by Charles Bukowski

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I walked in a desert
I walked in a desert.
And I cried,
"Ah, God, take me from this place!"
A voice said, "It is no desert."
I cried, "Well, But --
The sand, the heat, the vacant horizon."
A voice said, "It is no desert."
poem by Stephen Crane

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Botany lab
keeping everyone on heals
cactus
haiku by Putholi Arumugham

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The secret card
The seducer is hunting her arms
Overwhelming her with charms
Please be the sweet
Don't deny being my treat
Talk as you wish
I seal your mouth with a kiss
When you fall apart
I will see your secret card
The joker will split
Not trying to commit
Don't track him down
He will always be around
Not in your bed
But in the back of your head
poem by Anne Jensen

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Nature
Iam a part of nature, and nature is a part of me.
We live together, on this earth in sweet harmony.
Iam a living specimen, just not botany.
Iam a part of nature.
I stand erect as an old oak tree.
I've weathering various storms and showers, some visable to see.
I can sing like bird, and remain on key.
Yet, my life can be as busy as a bee,
collaborating effortlessly, with natures precious melodies.
That is why, Iam a part of nature and nature, is a part of me.
poem by Angel A. Lockwood

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I Get Along
Feeling like I'm stuck in a hole
body and soul
while you're out of control
Now I know why you had to go
well I think we both know
why it had to be so
I've been trying not to cry
when I'm in the public eye
Stuck here with the shame
and taking
my share of the blame
while making
sudden plans that don't include you
I get along, get along
without you very well
I get along very well
Now I know you'd much rather be
with rock royalty
instead of someone like me
The big boys are back and we need them, you said
Think it was something you'd read
and it stuck in your head
Even though I don't suppose
that's as far as it goes
You've go quite an appetite
for being wronged and in the right
Well from now on it won't affect me
I get along, get along
without you very well
I get along very well
The morning after the night before
I'd been alerted
to your lies
I phoned you up
Your calls were all diverted
Took a long time to track you down
even then you were defiant
It's not what you think it is, you said
and proceeded to deny it
So I lost my patience at last
and it happened so fast
you belong in the past
I've been trying not to cry
when I'm in the public eye
Stuck here with the shame
and taking
my share of the blame
while making
sudden plans that don't include you
I get along, get along
without you very well
I get along very well
song performed by by Pet Shop Boys

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Fable
The mountain and the squirrel
Had a quarrel;
And the former called the latter "Little Prig."
Bun replied,
"You are doubtless very big;
But all sorts of things and weather
Must be taken in together
To make up a year
And a sphere.
And I think it's no disgrace
To occupy my place.
If I'm not so large as you,
You are not so small as I,
And not half so spry.
I'll not deny you make
A very pretty squirrel track;
Talents differ: all is well and wisely put;
If I cannot carry forests on my back,
Neither can you crack a nut."
poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson

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The Knotting Song
"Hears not my Phyllis how the birds
Their feathered mates salute?
They tell their passion in their words:
Must I alone be mute?"
Phyllis, without frown or smile,
Sat and knotted all the while.
"The god of love in thy bright eyes
Does like a tyrant reign;
But in thy heart a child he lies,
Without his dart of flame."
Phyllis, without frown or smile,
Sat and knotted all the while.
"So many months in silence past,
And yet in raging love,
Might well deserve one word at last
My passion should approve."
Phyllis, without frown or smile,
Sat and knotted all the while.
"Must then your faithful swain expire,
And not one look obtain,
Which he, to soothe his fond desire,
Might pleasingly explain?"
Phyllis, without frown or smile,
Sat and knotted all the while.
poem by Sir Charles Sedley

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Excerpt From (Let's Fall In Love)
My emotions
Drift away
I think about it but it's alright it's alright it's alright it's alright
It's alright now
My emotions
Drift away
I think about it every single day
Do I regret it
Well I'd say thats its alright it's alright it's alright
Out in space
There's a feeling that runs through your veins
One that has no time no space
Taking you high
So that you can't deny it
Thats when you're in love
Taking you high
So that you can't deny it
That's when youre in love
Taking you high
So that you can't deny it
That's when you're in love
That's when you're in love
Taking you high
So that you can't deny it
That's when you're in love
Taking you high
So that you can't deny it
That's when you're in love
Taking you high
So that you can't deny it
That's when you're in love
That's when you're in love
song performed by by Seal from Human Beings

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Rock & Roll Hell
Been under fire sixteen years, just waitin for his time to come
He fought the lies, fought back the tears, cant wait to hear that starting gun
There aint nobody gonna step on his dreams
So he held his hands high and screamed
Chorus:
Get me out of this rock and roll hell, take me far away
Get me out of this rock and roll hell
Get me out of this rock and roll hell, I need to get away
Get me out of this rock and roll hell
Hes on the edge, he can feel it in his heart
This time the pressures really on
Hes gonna fight it, might even steal a guitar
This time tomorrow hell be gone
There aint nobody gonna tell him what to do
Think hes a little like me and you
Chorus
Hes on the run, wont stand for second place, but his turn may never come
Hes not a victim, you can see it in his face
But he cant see what hes become
Well, he wants it bad, but he wants no charity
He seems to think its his destiny
Get me out of this rock and roll hell, I need to get away
Get me out of this rock and roll hell
Chorus repeats out
song performed by by Kiss

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Yellow And Rose
Notes:
JT on Sony.com: Botany Bay is where they brought the convicts. . .The dregs of British society who became the finest nation on God's green earth. . . beautiful. Yellow and Rose is a half baked thing about transportation, transformation and Australia.
Yellow and Rose
Yellow and Rose
Yellow and Rose
Oh boy, Botany Bay
Watching the water go by
Here's your home so far away
Here is a tear for your eye
Here is a vast and unknown land
Here are the strangers on the sand
Oh, seeds of the universe ever endeavor to grow
Tiny pieces of everything into the water they go
Everything changes for the strangers on the shore
They are blue and green no more
They are yellow and rose
Down under got the south side
This groovy crazy planet
Watching from the outside
It's as smooth as a gravy sandwich
People play music night for day
One caught the sun in a sekere
Seeds of the universe ever endeavor to grow
Tiny pieces of everything into the water they go
Everything changes for the strangers on the shore
They are blue and green no more
They are yellow and rose
Remember when we thought we were in California
We thought it was the eye of the hurricane
Old gypsy woman she tried to warn you
"You'll be back this way again
Hungry for the rain
It's written in your hand, plain"
Seeds of the universe ever endeavor to grow
Tiny pieces of everything into the water they go
Everything changes for the strangers on the shore
They are blue and green no more
They are yellow and rose
Yellow and Rose
Yellow and Rose
Yellow and Rose
song performed by by James Taylor

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Death's Way
Old Man Death's a lousy heel who will not play the game:
Let Graveyard yawn and doom down crash, he'll sneer and turn away.
But when the sky with rapture rings and joy is like a flame,
Then Old Man Death grins evilly, and swings around to slay.
Jack Duval was my chosen pal in the ranks of the Reckless Men.
Thick as thieves they used to say, and it may be that we were:
Where the price of life is a naked knife and dammed are nine in ten,
It doesn't do to be curious in the Legion Etrangère.
So when it came to a hidden shame our mugs were zippered tight;
He never asked me what I'd done, and he would never tell;
But though like men we revelled, when it came to bloody fight
I knew that I could bank on him clear to the hubs of hell.
They still tell how we held the Fort back on the blasted bled,
And blazed from out the shambles till the fagged relief arrived.
"The garrison are slaughtered all," the Captain grimly said:
Piped Jack: "Give us a slug of hooch and say that TWO survived."
Then was that time we were lost, canteen and carcase dry,
As on we staggered with the thought: "Here's where our story ends."
Ten desert days delirious, when black against the sky,
We saw a line of camels, and the Arabs were our friends.
And last of all, the lurid night we crashed the gates of hell
And stemmed the Teuton torrent as it roared on every side;
And we were left in blood and mud to rot on the Moselle -
Two lacerated Legionaires, whom all supposed had died.
Three times death thought to take us and three times he stayed his hand;
But when we left the Legion what a happy pair we were,
Then reckless roving up and down the sunny land,
I found Jack eating bouillabaisse back on the Cannebière.
"Next week I wed," he gaily said, "the sweetest girl on earth.
I wonder why did Death pass by just then and turn to gloat?
"Oh I'm so happy! You must come and join us in our mirth."...
Death struck ... Jack gasped and choked and - died:
A fishbone in his throat.
poem by Robert William Service

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