Page:A treasury of war poetry, British and American poems of the world war, 1914-1919.djvu/73

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Fighting hard for gale and earthquake, and the wind-swept ports between;

For the wild flax and manuka and the terraced hills of green.

Fighting hard for wooden homesteads, where the mighty kauris stand—

Fighting hard for fern and tussock!—Fighting hard for Maoriland!

Fighting hard!

Fighting hard for little Tassy, where the apple orchards grow

(And the Northern Territory, just to give the place a show),

Fighting hard for Home and Empire, while the Commonwealth prevails

And, in spite of all her blunders, dying hard for New South Wales.

Dying hard.

Fighting for the Pride of Old Folk, and the people that you know;

And the girl you left behind you—(ah! the time is passing slow).

For the proud tears of a sister! come you back, or never come!

And the weary Elder Brother, looking after things at home—

Fighting hard! You Lucky Devils!

Fighting hard. Henry Lawson