"The Daylight is Dying" is a poem by Australian bush poet Banjo Paterson (Andrew Barton Paterson).

It was first published in The Australasian on 27 December 1890, as by "Andrew Barton", and subsequently reprinted in the author's poetry collections and other poetry anthologies.

Critical reception

In an overview of poetry from New South Wales, critic D. J. Quinn noted of the poet: "Though Mr. Paterson owes his popularity in large measure to the stirring character of his ballads, which are nothing if not racy of the soil, he has restful moods, in which the lyrical quality of his muse shows to excellent advantage." He then quoted from this poem by way of example.

A reviewer for The Western Argus (Kalgoorlie) suggested this poem as one that should be read in schools, noting that the poem "provides a fine conception of the effect that harmony with the bush life will have upon our depiction of it."

Publication history After its original publication in The Australasian the poem was later reprinted as follows:

The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses, Angus and Robertson, 1895 An Anthology of Australian Verse edited by Bertram Stevens, Angus and Robertson, 1907 The Golden Treasury of Australian Verse edited by Bertram Stevens, Angus and Robertson, 1909 The Children's Treasury of Australian Verse edited by Bertram Stevens and George Mackaness, Angus and Robertson, 1913 The Collected Verse of A. B. Paterson : Containing 'The Man from Snowy River', 'Rio Grande' and 'Saltbush Bill, M.P.' , 1921 Selections from Australian Poets edited by Bertram Stephens and George Mackaness, Cornstalk Publishing, 1925 Poets of Australia : An Anthology of Australian Verse edited by George Mackaness, Angus & Robertson, 1946 An Anthology of Australian Verse edited by George Mackaness, Angus & Robertson, 1952 Singer of the Bush, A. B. (Banjo) Paterson : Complete Works 1885-1900 edited by Rosamund Campbell and Philippa Harvie, Lansdowne, 1983 Banjo Paterson's Poems of the Bush, J. M. Dent, 1987 A Vision Splendid: The Complete Poetry of A. B. 'Banjo' Paterson, Angus and Robertson, 1990 Banjo Paterson : His Poetry and Prose edited by Richard Hall, Allen & Unwin, 1993 The Collected Verse of Banjo Paterson edited by Clement Semmler, Viking O'Neill, 1993 The Bush Poems of A. B. (Banjo) Paterson edited by Jack Thompson, FinePoets, 2008

See also 1890 in Australian literature

References