Page:The moods of Ginger Mick.djvu/94

 86 Them olden days, the golden days that you remember well, In spite o' war an' worry, Mick, are wiv us fer a spell. Fer the green is on the paddicks, an' the sap is in the trees, An' the bush birds in the gullies sing the ole, sweet melerdies; An' we're 'opin', as we 'ear 'em, that, when next the Springtime comes, You'll be wiv us 'ere to listen to that bird tork in the gums.

It's much the same ole Springtime, Mick, yeh reckerlect uv yore; Boronier an' dafferdils and wattle blooms once more Sling sweetness over city streets, an' seem to put to shame The rotten greed an' butchery that got you on this game— The same ole sweet September days, an' much the same ole place; Yet, there's a sort o' somethin', Mick, upon each passin' face, A sort o' look that's got me beat; a look that you put there, The day yeh lobbed upon the beach an' charged at Sari Bair.

It isn't that we're boastin', lad; we've done wiv most o' that— The froth, the cheers, the flappin' flags, the giddy wavin' 'at. Sich things is childish memories; we blush to 'ave 'em told, Fer we 'ave seen our wounded, Mick, an' it 'as made us old. We ain't growed soggy wiv regret, we ain't swelled out wiv pride; But we 'ave seen it's up to us to lay our toys aside. An' it wus you that taught us, Mick, we've growed too old fer play. An' everlastin' picter shows, an' goin' down the Bay.