The Project Gutenberg EBook of 'Hello, Soldier!', by Edward Dyson

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Title: 'Hello, Soldier!'
Khaki Verse

Author: Edward Dyson

Release Date: October 19, 2005 [EBook #16904]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 'HELLO, SOLDIER!' ***

Produced by Peter O'Connell

"Hello, Soldier!"
Khaki Verse

by Edward Dyson

Many of these verse were originally
printed in the "Bulletin," others in "Punch,"
"The Leader" and Melbourne "Herald."
Some few are now published for the first time.

The paper famine leaving me no option
but to print on peculiar paper, not wholly
prohibitive or to defer the publication of my
verses for an unknown period, the natural
longing of a parent to parade his "well be-
gotten" prevails. If my book is unusual and
bizarre from a craftman's point of view,
I plead the unusual times and extraordinary
conditions. Of these times and conditions.
I hope "Hello Soldier" is in some measure
characteriastic.--Edward Dyson.

AUSTRALIA.

AUSTRALIA, my native land,
A stirring whisper in your ear--
'Tis time for you to understand
Your rating now is A1, dear.
You've done some rousing things of late.
That lift you from the simple state
In which you chose to vegetate.

The persons so superior,
Whose patronage no more endures,
Now have to fire a salvo for
The glory that is fairly yours.
At length you need no sort of crutch,
You stand alone, you're voted "much"--
Get busy and behave as such.

No man from Oskosh, or from Hull,
Or any other chosen place
Can rise with a distended skull,
And cast aspersions in your face.
You're given all the world to know
Your proper standing as a foe,
And hats are off, and rightly so.

You furnished heroes for the fray,
Your sterling merit's widely blown
To all men's satisfaction say,
Now have you proved it to your own?
Now have you strength to stand and shine
In your own light and say, "Divine
The thing is that I do. It's mine!"

The cannon's stroke throws customs down
The black and bottomless abyss,
And quaking are the gilded crown
And palsied feet of prejudice.
The guns have killed, but