And the wattle and the native rose
We placed upon her breast.
I saw it in the long ago
(And I’ve seen strong men die),
And who, to wear the wattle,
Hath better right than I?
I’ve fought it through the world since then,
And seen the best and worst,
But always in the lands of men
I held Australia first.
I wrote for her, I fought for her,
And when at last I lie,
Then who, to wear the wattle, has
A better right than I?
And if the jokes are somewhat old,The main idea is new.So be it sung, by hut and tent,Where tall the native grows;And understand, the song is meantFor singing through the nose.There dwelt a hard old cockatooOn western hills far out,Where everything is green and blue,Except, of course, in drought;A crimson Anarchist was he—Held other men…
Now, are you sure the gate is fastAnd all the sliprails peggedAnd all the milkers at the yard,The calves all in the pen?We don’t want Poley’s calf to suckHis mother dry again.And did you mend the broken railAnd make it firm and neat?I s’pose you want that brindle steerAll night among the wheat.And if he…
The portraits made by Longstaff, and the pictures done by Jack,Of the King and Queen and Lawson and the lady all in black?The King is robed in royal state, with medals on his breast,And, like the mother Queen she is, Her Majesty is dressed.The lady’s dressed in simple black and sports no precious stones,And I…
Grown fat and moral apace, old man! you prate of the change ‘since then’—In spite of all, I’d as lief be back in those hard old days again.They were hard old days; they were battling days; they were cruel at times—but then,In spite of all, I would rather be back in those hard old days…
In the corner – not a vision – but a sign for coming daysStand a box of ammunition and a rifle in green baize.And in this, the living present, let the word go through the land,Every tradesman, clerk and peasant should have these two things at hand.No – no ranting song is needed, and no…
To the end of the world and our Gipsy race, to the death of our dark-eyed line,I have set the lines on my children’s palms as my fathers did on mine,That the world shall know and my name shall glow in the light of the aftershine—I have set the lines on my children’s palms as…
