On John Manifold

John Manifold was an Australian poet worthy of praise He helped keep alive the Australian songs of convict days His original poem 'The Bunyip and the whistling Kettle' remains as an Aussie great Poem of the twentieth century like all good rhyme poems one that does not have a use by date He helped to keep the old ballads of Australia alive And thanks to people like John Manifold such songs still survive A Communist and a socialist at heart From most others he was surely one apart A renowned poet and preserver of old ballads in Australian literature he remains as one of note He helped to keep alive Australia's literary forgotten names such as the convict bard the renowned Frank The Poet Yet he is not seen as an Australian great And his is not a name we wish to celebrate But his contribution to Australian literature and culture was far from small And for that his is a name well worthy of recall.