Page:The moods of Ginger Mick.djvu/95

 Rh An', as a grown man dreams at times uv boy'ood days gone by, So, when we're feelin' crook, I s'pose, we'll sometimes sit an' sigh. But as a clean lad takes the ring wiv mind an' 'eart serene, So I am 'opin' we will fight to make our man'ood clean. When orl the stoushin's over, Mick, there's 'eaps o' work to do: An' in the peaceful scraps to come we'll still be needin' you. We will be needin' you the more fer wot yeh've seen an' done; Fer you were born a Builder, lad, an' we 'ave jist begun.

There's bin a lot o' tork, ole mate, uv wot we owe to you, An' wot yeh've braved an' done fer us, an' wot we mean to do. We've 'ailed you boys as 'eroes, Mick, an' torked uv just reward When you 'ave done the job yer at an' slung aside the sword. I guess it makes yeh think a bit, an' weigh this gaudy praise; Fer even 'eroes 'ave to eat, an'—there is other days: The days to come when we don't need no bonzer boys to fight: When the flamin's picnic's over an' the Leeuwin looms in sight.

Then there's another fight to fight, an' you will find it tough To sling the Kharki clobber fer the plain civilian stuff. When orl the cheerin' dies away, an' 'ero-worship flops, Yeh'll 'ave to face the ole tame life—'ard yakker or 'ard cops, But, lad, yer land is wantin' yeh, an' wantin' each strong son To fight the fight that never knows the firin' uv a gun: The steady fight, when orl you boys will show wot you are worth, An' punch a cow on Yarra Flats or drive a quill in Perth.