White Cockatoos

Read 'White Cockatoos' by 'Andrew Barton Paterson' and provide your summary and literary analysis in the comments section below.

White Cockatoos by Andrew Barton Paterson

 Now the autumn maize is growing, 
Now the corn-cob fills, 
Where the Little River flowing 
Winds among the hills. 
Over mountain peaks outlying 
Clear against the blue 
Comes a scout in silence flying, 
One white cockatoo. 
Back he goes to where the meeting 
Waits among the trees. 
Says, "The corn is fit for eating; 
Hurry, if you please." 
Skirmishers, their line extendiing, 
Shout the joyful news; 
Down they drop like snow descending, 
Clouds of cockatoos. 

At their husking competition 
Hear them screech and yell. 
On a gum tree's high position 
Sits a sentinel. 
Soon the boss goes boundary riding; 
But the wise old bird, 
Mute among the branches hiding, 
Never says a word. 

Then you hear the strident squalling: 
"Here's the boss's son, 
Through the garden bushes crawling, 
Crawling with a gun. 
May the shiny cactus bristles 
Fill his soul with woe; 
May his knees get full of thistles. 
Brothers, let us go." 

Old Black Harry sees them going, 
Sketches Nature's plan: 
"That one cocky too much knowing, 
All same Chinaman. 
One eye shut and one eye winkin' -- 
Never shut the two; 
Chinaman go dead, me thinkin', 
Jump up cockatoo."

Form: Ballad

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