# Brogan's Lane

First published in The Bulletin, 20 September 1906
There’s a crack in the city, and down that street,
In couples with guns, tramp "rossers" on beat,
To bash with a baton's butt. Labor in vain,
For a hotter nor Hell is Brogan's Lane;
Brogan’s Lane, Brogan’s Lane,
Rats pinch from each other down Brogan’s Lane.
There's nary a light, and the steps shoot down straight;
Drunks land on their heads when they come to their fate.
'Tis a curious study, when sobered again,
How the drunk lost his balance down Brogan's Lane;
Brogan's Lane, Brogan's Lane,
Lost his balance and clothes down Brogan's Lane.
Flash Ned, when he "dives on a red lock," takes care,
When the crowd gazes round Flash Ned isn't there;
Up some side-cut he sneaks, but he doesn't complain,
He's as safe as a chapel down Brogan's Lane;
Brogan's Lane, Brogan's Lane,
It's a short cut to Heaven, this Brogan's Lane.
When Flossie is fresh, only toffs will she meet,
But beer drags her down to a girl of the street;
Till, one morn, lying out in the cold and the rain,
They find her dead body in Brogan's Lane;
Brogan's Lane, Brogan's Lane,
She strikes the Dead Finish down Brogan's Lane.
With its opium dens, and its cribs, bones and rags,
'Tis the haunt of thieves, wastrels, poor women, and vags;
They booze to bring joy, they sin to numb pain,
But the "Jug" lies close handy to Brogan's Lane;
Brogan's Lane, Brogan's Lane,
The river and morgue follow Brogan's Lane.
This work is in the public domain in Australia because it was created in Australia and the term of copyright has expired. According to Australian Copyright Council - Duration of Copyright, the following works are public domain:
* published non-government works whose author died before January 1, 1955,
* anonymous or pseudonymous works and photographs published before January 1, 1955, and
* government works published more than 50 years ago (before January 1, 1974).
This work is also in the public domain in the United States because it was first published outside the United States (and not published in the U.S. within 30 days), and it was first published before 1989 without complying with U.S. copyright formalities (renewal and/or copyright notice) and it was in the public domain in Australia on the URAA date (January 1, 1996). This is the combined effect of Australia having joined the Berne Convention in 1928, and of 17 USC 104A with its critical date of January 1, 1996.
Because the Australian copyright term in 1996 was 50 years, the critical date for copyright in the United States under the URAA is January 1, 1946.
This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1943, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 80 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse