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.