Page:A treasury of war poetry, British and American poems of the world war, 1914-1919.djvu/71

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They knew not Pharaoh ('tis understood),

And they got into scrapes, as we knew they would,

Knew they would—

Knew they would;

And they got into scrapes, as we knew they would.

They chafed in the dust of an old dead land

At the long months' drill in the scorching sand;

But they knew in their hearts it was for their good,

And they saw it through as we knew they would,

Knew they would—

Knew they would;

And they saw it through as we knew they would.

The coo-ee called through the Mena Camp,

And an army roared like the Ocean's tramp

On a gale-swept beach in her wildest mood,

Till the Pyramids shook as we knew they would,

Knew they would—

Knew they would.

(And the Sphinx woke up as we knew she would.)

They were shipped like sheep when the dawn was grey;

(But the officers knew that no lambs were they).

They squatted and perched where'er they could,

And they "blanky-ed" for joy as we knew they would,

Knew they would—

Knew they would;

They "blanky-ed" for joy as we knew they would.

The sea was hell and the shore was hell,

With mine, entanglement, shrapnel and shell,

But they stormed the heights as Australians should,

And they fought and they died as we knew they would,

Knew they would—

Knew they would;

They fought and they died as we knew they would.