The Buried Chief


"The Buried Chief" is a poem by Australian poet Henry Parkes.
The poem was written by Henry Parkes, on 6 November 1886, after the death of Sir James Martin — three times Premier of New South Wales, and Chief Justice of New South Wales from 1873 to 1886 — on 4 November.
It was originally published in The Sydney Morning Herald on 24 November 1886 and subsequently reprinted in Fragmentary Thoughts by the author and a number of Australian poetry anthologies.

Critical reception

In reviewing the author's poetry collection, Fragmentary Thoughts, a reviewer in The Sydney Morning Herald noted that the poem had "something of that fine-pitched and measured dignity that has won for Sir Henry Parkes many a hard-fought battle in the long days of his career in this land. It, with a dozen others, would make a small volume which men of thought—whether his political enemies or his friends—would regard with pleasure and keep with pride."

Publication history

After the poem's initial publication in The Sydney Morning Herald it was reprinted as follows: