Almanac Poetry: Ben Hall’s Photograph
Portrait of bushranger Ben Hall, by Freeman Brothers Studio, 1863, from original album print carte de visite, State Library of New South Wales. [Source: Wikimedia Commons]
Ben Hall’s Photograph
Though to many, Ben Hall is an oft-reproduced
image of a handsome man
taken in a Sydney studio
in the early eighteen-sixties,
one of those old, faded Civil War types
of photographs which blanch the face,
highlight the black/white contrasts
and make the sitter seem
forlorn, romantic and doomed
– and photographs so often lie –
in Ben’s sad case,
his picture
pretty much did him justice.
(Acknowledgements: poem first appeared, in a slightly different form, in Quadrant, 2008; then in my second book-length poetry collection, Lionheart Summer, Picaro Press, 2011; reprinted by Ginninderra Press, 2018.)
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About
Kevin Densley is a graduate of both Deakin University and The University of Melbourne. He has taught writing and literature in numerous Victorian universities and TAFES. He is a poet and writer-in-general. His sixth book-length poetry collection, Isle Full of Noises, was published in early 2026 by Ginninderra Press. He is also the co-author of ten play collections for young people, as well as a multi Green Room Award nominated play, Last Chance Gas, published by Currency Press. Other writing includes screenplays for educational films.
Poor old Ben Hall, a tragic tale: if all true.
Why did Biddy leave him for an ex-copper? Was he at Eugowra rocks for the famous hold up?
All those who know are long gone.
Vale Ben Hall, you man of high renown.
Glen!
What a life those blokes had! Not necessarily a good life, but it was certainly interesting.
Lovely poem Kevin.
Well put, Glen!
That Eugowra Rocks hold-up of June 1862 … the group who committed it – it seems – consisted of a veritable who’s who of Australian bushranging, led by Frank ‘Darkie’ Gardiner.
Cheers, Dips – thanks for your comments.
I’m glad you like the poem. The image of Ben Hall accompanying it has haunted me (for want of a better term) since I was a kid – it’s so evocative. There’s something archetypally (mid-)19th century Australian about it, too.
One of your best, KD. Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks, JL, for the highly positive feedback – the late Les Murray (the poet guy, not the football man!) liked this poem a lot, too, as I recall.
(Les Murray the football guy may also have been an excellent reader, I hasten to add!)