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Jirri Jirri
Willy Wagtail

Edward S. Sorenson

Around their burning firesticks.
    The gins sat cheek by cheek,
With pipes aglow, and chatted
    Amid the smoke and reck
Before a village gunyah,
    The gunyah by the creek.

They looked around and whispered,
    As if in sudden fear
That prying Jirri Jirri
    Was lurking somewhere near;
For they were telling stories
    That stern men mustn’t hear.

Anon when Jirri Jirri,
    With quick and saucy glance,
Alighted near the circle
    To gaily chirp and dance,
The gossips ceased their chatter
    And looked at him askance.

Then up they sprang and chased him,
    Nor would they let him stay
Where he could hear their voices,
    Or they his roundelay.
Though none would dare to hurt him,
    Lest evil come their way.

For little Jirri Jirri
    They called a stickybeak
Who told about the secrets
    He heard the women speak,
And trouble racked the gunyah,
    The gunyah by the creek.

All other birds were welcome,
    And many did they love:
The black swan calling softly
    On whistling wings above,
The jolly kookaburra,
    The mopoke and the dove.

But cheeky Jirri Jirri,
    The pesky stickybeak,
Must do his merry dancing,
    His food and pleasure seek,
Far from the lowly gunyah,
    The gunyah by the creek.

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