West Australian Bush Poets From the Past

Animation
Brother, Go Slow
God and Poets
In the Grey Hall of
     Fantasy
Myself, the Jacaranda
      and the Poinciana
      Tree
Seek the Sun
Sun Quest
To a Lady
Women Knitting

His Books
and books of his poems

The Lost Shanty (1939)

The Collected Poems of
Jack Sorensen
Edited by Mary Durack 1950

The Ghosts of Bayley Street
reprint 1992 Hesperian Press
ISBN 0 85905 138 2

Jack Sorensen
Born: John Alfred Sorensen, 21 Aug 1907 Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

Died: 25 Jun 1949 Sydney, New South Wales

Biography:

Jack Sorenson was one of only a few (known) bush poets who filled the gap when bush poetry was very much in the doldrums and considered a very minor form of the literary arts. This was the rather long period between the mid 1920s and the mid 1980s.

Jack was born in Kalgoorlie in 1907, a second generation Australian of mixed Danish, Irish and English ancestry. He grew up in the Swan Valley, near Perth; his first job being for his father who had taken up a fruit orchard in the district . It was there, while at work that Jack made his early attempts at poetry, heard only by the lemon and apricot trees. His father did not encourage his poetic endeavours, however his mother saw his potential and encouraged him to write.

As a young man, Jack found an ally in Mr R.S. Sampson, local member of the WA Parliament who was influential in having some of Jack's early poems published in local papers.

A strong, burly lad, although rather shy, Jack became interested in boxing, and took up the sport under the name of "Johnny Brown". He was quite successful, becoming the WA welter weight champion.

Jack spent most of his younger adult life in Western Australia, moving from place to place chasing gainful employment. At various times he worked with cattle in the Kimberly's, as a shearer, as a labourer in the Goldfields and for a time in the southwest forest country.

Returning to Perth, Jack took up employment with his mentor, Mr Sampson, becoming the country representative for the United Press group of papers, much of his time being base in the WA Goldfields. - he was therefore now in a position to promote his own poetry.

Throughout much of his life he drew on these experiences to write poetry and songs mainly about life in rural Western Australia, often with an environmental theme.

With the outbreak of war, Jack developed a sense of doom which included his own involvement in it and so it was that in July 1942, Jack joined the Australian Army. Most of his recruit training was at the Melville training camp. Following his recruit training he was attached to the 11th Btn which, at that time, was involved in the defence of northern Australia.

The death of his friend and mentor, Mr Sampson, greatly affected Jack's mental health to the point where he was no longer able to carry out his military duties. He was discharged in March 1944 following which he returned to work for United Press, although he now had no need to for he had been left a substantial legacy by Mr Sampson.

Not long after his discharge, his mother also died, further deepening his melancholia. In order to return to happier times, Jack returned to the Kimberleys but the inner peace he was seeking was not there, so in 1949, at age 42, returning to Perth he decided to fulfil a lifetime dream of going to the Queensland outback. He sailed from Fremantle, but was never to reach his goal, for it was on the ship in Sydney, just a week or so short of his destination that Jack decided that his life was no longer worth living.

At some stage throughout his life, he had most of his poems published in various newspapers and in time published a few books. His poetry is now considered by many to be among the best of his era, in particular for his consistent rhythm which, at the time, was not considered "worthy" of consideration. Such poets as he were largely derided by most the literati of his time. His poetic interests however did bring him into contact with some other literary people of his time, a few of whom became close friends, notably among them Mary Durack who, shortly after his death, collected and published his poems. A number of his poems were set to music and to this day various folk music bands continue to include them in their repertoire.

I am told that Jack is buried at Midland (WA) and his headstone is inscribed
Jack Sorensen 1906-1947..Weaver of Dreams, Farewell. - these dates are somewhat in conflict with those given in his biography on "Austlit" (the birth and death dates given above) - Jack's military records give his birth date as Aug 21, 1907, NSW Death index is 14710/1949)

I would like to thank John McMicking for providing me with copies of many of Jack's poems - B.L.

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