Poem

John Cornstalk

by Henry Lawson · 1890

John Cornstalk lives in the Southern Land,What says Cornstalk John?Jack Cornstalk says in a loud firm voice:"Land of the South, lead on."
CHORUS:
Land of the South, lead on, lead on,Land of the South, lead on!Land of the South, lead on, lead on,Lead on, Land of the South!
John Bull lays claim to the Southern Land.Jack, is the South Land thine?John Cornstalk cries in a loud, firm voice:"The Land of the South is mine!"
Land of the South, lead on, lead on,Land of the South, lead on!Land of the South, lead on, lead on,Lead on, Land of the South!
"By the long, long years my father toiledIn the pioneering band;By the hardships of those early days,I claim the Southern Land!"
Land of the South, lead on, lead on,Land of the South, lead on!Land of the South, lead on, lead on,Lead on, Land of the South!
But where shall the Land of the South lead to?Where lead the nation's van?Jack Cornstalk cries from his strong young heart:"To the Dynasty of Man."
Land of the South, lead on, lead on,Land of the South, lead on!Land of the South, lead on, lead on,Lead on, Land of the South!
Sources, publication & text notesReference details
Canonical recordPOEM-000352
Copy-textCollected Poems of Henry Lawson (Project Gutenberg Australia, 2022), selected copy text; independently checked against the Ironbark Resources witness (first published in Freeman's Journal, 1890)
Source recordSRC-000066
Rights determinationRGT-000530
Text statusCANONICAL TEXT READY
TranscriptionDIPLOMATIC_TRANCHE_018

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