Verses 1889-1896 | Page 4

Thou hast made this world below the
shadow of a dream,
THE MIRACLES
I sent a message to my dear,
THE NATIVE-BORN
We've drunk to the Queen -- God bless her!
THE KING
"Farewell, Romance!" the Cave-men said,
THE RHYME OF THE THREE SEALERS
Away by the lands of
the Japanee,
THE DERELICT
I was the staunchest of our fleet,
THE ANSWER
A Rose, in tatters, on the garden path,
THE SONG OF THE BANJO
You couldn't pack a Broadwood half
a mile,
THE LINER SHE'S A LADY
The Liner she's a lady, an' she never
looks nor 'eeds,
MULHOLLAND'S CONTRACT
The fear was on the cattle, for the
gale was on the sea,
ANCHOR SONG
Heh! Walk her round. Heave, ah heave her short
again!
FROM "MANY INVENTIONS".
THE LOST LEGION
There's a Legion that never was 'listed,
THE SEA-WIFE
There dwells a wife by the Northern Gate,

HYMN BEFORE ACTION
The earth is full of anger,
TO THE TRUE ROMANCE
Thy face is far from this our war,
FROM "MANY INVENTIONS".
THE FLOWERS
Buy my English posies!
THE LAST RHYME OF TRUE THOMAS
The king has called for
priest and cup,
IN THE NEOLITHIC AGE
In the Neolithic Age savage warfare
did I wage,
THE STORY OF UNG
Once, on a glittering ice-field, ages and ages
ago,
THE THREE-DECKER
Full thirty foot she towered from waterline
to rail,
AN AMERICAN
If the Led Striker call it a strike,
THE "MARY GLOSTER"
I've paid for your sickest fancies; I've
humoured your crackedest whim,
SESTINA OF THE TRAMP-ROYAL
Speakin' in general, I 'ave
tried 'em all,
BARRACK-ROOM BALLADS
"BACK TO THE ARMY AGAIN"
I'm 'ere in a ticky ulster an' a
broken billycock 'at,
"BIRDS OF PREY" MARCH
March! The mud is cakin' good
about our trousies,
"SOLDIER AN' SAILOR TOO"
As I was spitting into the Ditch

aboard o' the ~Crocodile~,
SAPPERS
When the Waters were dried an' the Earth did appear,
THAT DAY
It got beyond all orders an' it got beyond all 'ope,
"THE MEN THAT FOUGHT AT MINDEN"
The men that fought
at Minden, they was rookies in their time,
CHOLERA CAMP
We've got the cholerer in camp -- it's worse than
forty fights,
THE LADIES
I've taken my fun where I've found it,
BILL 'AWKINS
"'As anybody seen Bill 'Awkins?"
THE MOTHER-LODGE
There was Rundle, Station Master,
"FOLLOW ME 'OME"
There was no one like 'im, 'Orse or Foot,
THE SERGEANT'S WEDDIN'
'E was warned agin 'er,
THE JACKET
Through the Plagues of Egyp' we was chasin' Arabi,
THE 'EATHEN
The 'eathen in 'is blindness bows down to wood an'
stone,
THE SHUT-EYE SENTRY
Sez the Junior Orderly Sergeant,
"MARY, PITY WOMEN!"
You call yourself a man,
FOR TO ADMIRE
The Injian Ocean sets an' smiles,
L'ENVOI
When Earth's last picture is painted and the tubes are
twisted and dried,
BARRACK-ROOM BALLADS AND OTHER VERSES

1889-1891
TO WOLCOTT BALESTIER
Beyond the path of the outmost sun through utter darkness hurled --
Further than ever comet flared or vagrant star-dust swirled -- Live such
as fought and sailed and ruled and loved and made our world.
They are purged of pride because they died, they know the worth of
their bays, They sit at wine with the Maidens Nine and the Gods of the
Elder Days, It is their will to serve or be still as fitteth our Father's
praise.
'Tis theirs to sweep through the ringing deep where Azrael's outposts
are, Or buffet a path through the Pit's red wrath when God goes out to
war, Or hang with the reckless Seraphim on the rein of a red-maned
star.
They take their mirth in the joy of the Earth --
they dare not grieve for her pain --
They know of toil and the end of
toil, they know God's law is plain, So they whistle the Devil to make
them sport who know that Sin is vain.
And ofttimes cometh our wise Lord God, master of every trade, And
tells them tales of His daily toil, of Edens newly made; And they rise to
their feet as He passes by, gentlemen unafraid.
To these who are cleansed of base Desire, Sorrow and Lust and Shame
-- Gods for they knew the hearts of men, men for they stooped to Fame,
Borne on the breath that men call Death, my brother's spirit came.
He scarce had need to doff his pride or slough the dross of Earth -- E'en
as he trod that day to God so walked he from his birth, In simpleness
and gentleness and honour and clean mirth.
So cup to lip in fellowship they gave him welcome high
And made
him place at the banquet board -- the Strong Men ranged thereby, Who

had done his work and held his peace and had no fear to die.
Beyond the loom of the last lone star, through open darkness hurled,
Further than rebel comet dared or hiving star-swarm swirled, Sits he
with those that praise our God for that they served His world.
BARRACK-ROOM BALLADS
To T. A.