| Actor Jack Thompson (right) pictured with Rowan Cahill from UOW’... Actor Jack Thompson (right) pictured with Rowan Cahill from UOW’s School of History and Politics at the celebration to launch the new edition of The Hungry Mile and other poems |
UOW historian’s contribution to new edition of The Hungry Mile
23 Apr 2008 | Bernie Goldie
A tutor in UOW’s School of History and Politics, Mr Rowan Cahill, has provided a significant Introduction to a new edition of The Hungry Mile and other poems.
The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) has republished the new edition by Australian working class poet Ernest Antony (1894-1960).
Originally published in 1930, the book is a collection of 33 poems about working life and capitalism. Antony wrote the legendary poem The Hungry Mile, often thought to be the work of ‘anonymous’ or of a collective ‘folk’ process.
However, Antony was a real person.
Mr Cahill said the collection introduces modern readers to the impressive output of this ‘forgotten’ working class poet, with its rebelliousness, humour, satire, irony, anger, and philosophical reflections. Poetic influences on Antony included the Wobblies and C. J. Dennis.
Mr Cahill has provided largely unknown biographical details about Antony and discusses his poetry in the context of Australian working class literature between World Wars 1 and 11.
At a launch for the new edition, actor Jack Thompson brought the audience of MUA delegates and guests to its feet with his reading of Antony's most famous poem The Hungry Mile.
The book (64pp; pbk.) is available from the MUA, Level 2, 365 Sussex Street, Sydney 2000, for $20 per copy, including postage.
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