A Mixed Battle Song
By Henry Lawson
Lo! the Boars tail is salted, and the Kangaroos exalted,
And his right eye is extinguished by a man-o-warsmans cap;
He is flying round the fences where the Southern Sea commences,
And hes very much excited for a quiet sort of chap.
For his ships have had a scrap and theyve marked it on the map
Where the H.M.A.S. Sydney dropped across a German trap.
So the Kangaroos a-chasing of his Blessed Self, and racing
From Cape York right round to Leeuwin, from the coast to Nevertire;
And of him need be no more said, save that to the tail aforesaid
Is the Blue Australian Ensign firmly fixed with copper wire.
(When hes filled the map with white men therell be little to desire.)
I was sulky, I was moody (Im inclined to being broody)
When the news appeared in Sydney, bringing joy and bringing tears,
(Theres an undertone of sorrow that youll understand to-morrow)
And I felt a something in me that had not been there for years.
Though I lean in the direction of most absolute Protection
(And of wheat on the selection)
And, considering Congestion and the hopeless unemployed,
Id a notion (but I hid it) that, the way the Emden did it,
Twould be better for Australia if her commerce was destroyed.
You may say that wars a curse, but the peace curse may be worse,
When its lasted till its rotten, rotten from the inmost core,
To the mouldy skin which we are, in the land we call the freer,
And I almost feel inclined to call for Three Cheers for the War!
For I think, when all is over, from Magellans Straits to Dover,
Things will be a great deal better than they ever were before.
But, since Peace and Right are squalling, Ill content myself with calling
For three rousers, like the ringing cheers we used to give of yore,
For the Emden!
For the Sydney!
And their gallant crews and captains, both of whom weve met before!
And, for Kaiser Williams nevvy, we shall venture three cheers more!
Cheers that go to end a war.