The centuries found me to nations unknown –
My people have crowned me and made me a throne;
My royal regalia is love, truth, and light –
A girl called Australia – I've come to my right.
Though no fields of conquest grew red at my birth,
My dead were the noblest and bravest on earth;
Their strong sons are worthy to stand with the best –
My brave Overlanders ride west of the west.
My cities are seeking the clean and the right;
My Statesmen are speaking in London to-night;
The voice of my Bushmen is heard oversea;
My army and navy are coming to me.
By all my grim headlands my flag is unfurled,
My artists and singers are charming the world;
The White world shall know its young outpost with pride;
The fame of my poets goes ever more wide.
By old tow'r and steeple of nation grown grey
The name of my people is spreading to-day;
Through all the old nations my learners go forth;
My youthful inventors are startling the north.
In spite of all Asia, and safe from her yet,
Through wide Australasia my standards I'll set;
A grand world and bright world to rise in an hour –
The Wings of the White world, the Balance of Power.
Through storm, or serenely – whate'er I go through –
God grant I be queenly! God grant I be true!
To suffer in silence, and strike at a sign,
Till all the fair islands of these seas are mine.
In a published book
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Comments
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trying to find what is the poem
From guest sara gutenberg (contact)
i saw today a television episode fromethe australian tv series "far and away' in which Brad reads to Emily at her bed side a poem of henry lawson.the words that i remember "after all the world is a better place" i hpe you can give me a link where i can find the lyrics -
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Song of Australia?
Sara-
I'll do my best to track this one down. Henry Lawson is, indeed, a wonderful poet.
Charley Noble (Mod)
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Error?
From guest kaya (contact)
I read that this poem was first published in "the bulletin" in 1887 but this site says it was written 1908. Please reply. -
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reply to kaya - no error
http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/24666-Henry---Lawson-A-Song-of-the-Republic
A Song of the Republic was actually written in 1887
(The link will take you there)
This particular poem was written in 1908 as stated.
Information taken from my own copy of Lawson's Complete Works.
Regards,
Von - Oldpoetry
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meaning
From guest chaarvee (contact)
I really like the poetry. Can you please tell me the meaning behind the song? please
I suggest you read through the comments below this. I-Like-Rhymes gave some hints on this question. MODS -
From guest Ben (contact)
And in my opinion there are better poems by Lawson anyway, for example Freedom On the Wallaby. -
From guest Ben (contact)
Such a fantastic writer. really personifies the early Australia. His writings almost define the Australian culture and mindset - unfortunately includeing the paranoid racism -
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To Guest sscotty,
To me this is about a developing nation, Australia. Although settled long before the likes of Cook and Tasman and the rest arrived on the scene, at the time of writing in the early 1900's Australia had recently started to be self-governing on the world stage. From being a series of independent territories or kingdoms of the aboriginal Australians it had developed into a colony within a single Kingdom or Empire (The British) but was now striving towards freedom and independence as a single separate entity.
No longer forced to let the politicians from London speak for her, Australia could new send her own politicians abroad and even start telling London what she would and would not do.
At the same time the towns and villages were becoming modern cities and the land was gaining the trappings of what we would call civilisation. Her inhabitants were making their own mark on the wider world of Asia and lands further North.
In short it is a Cry Of Freedom! and also a very good poem.
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I am a relation to henry Lawson
From guest Louise (contact)
I am researching Henry, I find it very ironic that His mother's name is Louisa and I am Louise.... A great Australia Icon...... -
the immortal poet
From guest Henry Hussein (contact)
I am migrant was not born in Australia,and i learn to love the land from Lawson ! he is my hero. Henry - Gold Coast QLD 12-9-07 -
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