Poem: The Australian Guitar by G. A. M. L.

While Albion's poets sweetly sing,
   And breathe the soul inspiring ode,
From the fair land where freedom dwells
   And commerce finds a safe abode;
Shall Austral's minstrel ne'er awake
   The song of the Southern star
Nor in his own calm summer eve
   Awake the light guitar.

While Scotia's ministrels swell their lyres
   To lays of their stern native land,
And Erin's harp responsive rings,
   From her green isle's more verdant strand;
Shall Austral's muse lie ever still
   Nor lisp an echo from afar?
Nor to the lays of the sunny clime
   Awake the light guitar.

Nor shall the lovers tale be told
   In weak words of moving void;
But the thrilling chords waft his plaint,
   In language not to be denied.
And Yarra's banks shall list his lay
   Whilst borne on the calm evening air,
Amidst Accasia's rich perfume
   He wakes the light guitar.

But bark, what murmurs fill the air,
   We bear the galling yoke no more
The cherished boon though long denied,
   Shall quickly reach our gladden'd shore;
And freedom's name shall fire the song,
   We bear the trammelled chains no more!
And bards to the new choral strain
   Shall wake the light guitar.

First published in The Melbourne Argus, 27 June 1848