AustLit

Note that considerable doubt exists as to whether this poem was in fact written by Gordon, and it is unclear whether Gordon ever claimed it as one of his own works. The poem appears to have first been attributed to Gordon by Sladen (1888).

This poem was published in All the Year Round on 12 July, 1873, where it appeared unattributed, under the title 'Lay Me Low'. In addition to Gordon, the poem has at various points also been attributed to South African and New Zealand authors. A discussion of this topic appears in the New Zealand journal Colenso, Vol. II, Issue 6: June 2011.