A May Night on the Mountains by Henry Lawson
The story revolves around a group of men who gather at a pub to share tales of their adventures on the mountains. The narrator recounts his own experience of being caught in a storm on a May night and having to take shelter in an old hut. He reflects on the harsh conditions and the resilience of the people living in the area.
By Henry Lawson · First published 1894 · Genre: Poetry, Philosophical, Nature · 341 words
First lines
'Tis a wonderful time when these hours begin, / These long ‘small hours' of night, / When grass is crisp, and the air is thin, / And the stars come close and bright. / The moon hangs caught in a silvery veil, / From clouds of a steely grey, / And the hard, cold blue of the sky grows pale / In the wonderful Milky Way.
There is something wrong with this star of ours, / A mortal plank unsound, / That cannot be charged to the mighty powers / Who guide the stars around. / Though man is higher than bird or beast, / Though wisdom is still his boast, / He surely resembles Nature least, / And the things that vex her most.
Similar titles
- Hungerford by Henry Lawson
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with rhyme and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Philosophical — The text explores existential questions about humanity and the universe, reflecting philosophical themes.
- Nature — The imagery and descriptions focus on natural elements like stars, the moon, and the night sky.
- Speculative — The work speculates about life on other planets and the nature of existence beyond Earth.
Tags
Australian literature · Short story collection · Realism · Regional fiction · Rural setting · Poverty · Social commentary · Class struggle · Outback life · Sheep station · Isolation · Loneliness
What this Textopian page supports
A May Night on the Mountains is listed on Textopian as a poem by Henry Lawson, dated 1894 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Henry Lawson
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Philosophical, Nature, Speculative
- Length: 341 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for A May Night on the Mountains by Henry Lawson
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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