Foreword: '"The Lament of Bungaleen" is a new departure in Australian verse, for it brings to us the rhythmic euphony of Aboriginal words in conjunction with our own. The verse itself is full of meaning and sympathy for a tribe that forsees the coming of the white man and the fading away of their tribal life. The "Song Cycles" of the tribe, sung by the "Song Men", were the first beginnings of traditional in Australia, and the mingling of words such as one reads in Harry Hastings Pearce's verse, recalls for me the tribal elders' chants around the camp fires of our strange bushland.' (W. E. Henry)
