Hi Dep,
Many thanks for your comment. Yes, the song captures something about Australia which resonates with us, that’s for sure.
Have a great day.
Rob

Hi Tatsiana. Many thanks for your comment. Yes, having a slower pace makes it easier to understand. Good luck with your English. You are doing very well after only 2 months.
Cheers,
Rob

Hi Sergey,
Thanks for your comment. It is very kind of you to say that.
Have a great day.
Rob

Hi Paul,

Great to hear from you again. Many thanks for your kind words. It’s amazing how memorable the poetry of Banjo Paterson is. A Bush Christening was always one of my favourites and I am so glad you still remember some of it.

Hope all is well with you in good ol’ WA.
Cheers from Melbourne,
Rob

Hi Shirui Zeng,
Many thanks for your kind message. In the poem The Man from Ironbark, Banjo uses both humour and excitement to make the poem enjoyable. For example, this poem is funny because Banjo makes some clever jokes. He tells the story of a barber who ‘laid the odds and kept a tote, whatever that may be’. This means that the barber, as well as being a barber, was also running a betting shop. Now in those days, this was illegal so people pretended that they didn’t know about it. In the poem, Banjo tells us that the barber ran the betting shop (‘laid the odds and kept a tote’), but he pretended that he (Banjo) didn’t know what it was (‘whatever that may be’). But of course he is only having a poet’s joke. He knows what that is. The poem is also exciting, because there is plenty of action and there is an exciting finish to the poem. This is how Banjo wrote lots of his poems. He would make them exciting, but often he would also include some jokes. This is when his poems are of the highest quality, in my opinion. In English, we say that he is ‘at his best’ when he produces high quality poems. I hope that answers your question. It was a great question. When you can read and understand poems by Banjo Paterson, then you know your English is really good!
Thanks again for your message.
Have a great day.
Rob

Your podcast was awesome!!!I love it.
But I don’t really understand the meaning of this sentence:”When read well, this poem is both exciting and funny – Banjo Paterson at his best.”Could you tell me what it means, please? Thank you

Hi Julie,
Many thanks for your kind message. I am pleased you like my podcast. I really appreciate your feedback.
Have a great day.
Rob

I just found your website accidentally ! And to be honest, your work is really amazing!!!

I can’t wait to discover and understand a more authentic Australia via your stories. Please keep doing your work. I wish you all the best & look forward to learning from your upcoming podcasts asap

Cheers
Julie

Thanks Ray-much appreciated!
Cheers, Rob