Classic Poem

You seem forever writin'
 Yer Songs of Victory;
An' “Wear the beatin' colours,
 An' wear them back with me!”
You seem forever whinin':
 “O come an' look at me!”
Yer mind forever narrers—
 Say anythin' yer can,
I'm one as wore the arrers,
 An' wore 'em like a man!

While you slept in the mornin'
 An' had yer cup of tea,
An' dreamed, no doubt, with scornin'
 Of better blokes maybe—
Like Ginger Mick an' Stinker,
 An' Snorkey, Snout an' me—
Then I was busy fillin'
 With loo'-warm cornmeal stoo,
To give me strength fer drillin'
 For what I mean to do.

While you was motor-carrin'
 With Guv'ment blokes an' that,
Then I was busy sparrin'
 With thumb an' nose an' hat,
Salutin' Guv'ment fellers
 Who knoo what I was at;
An' I was wheelin' barrers
 In trenches at “the Bay”—
I'm one as wore the arrers—
 As you might do some day!

You've got a Guv'ment billet,
 'Way out at Leeton now;
I hope to Gord you'll fill it—
 'Twill fill you, anyhow!
You'll be a “civil servant”,
 Like any other cow
(I thought that that would fetch yer,
 I reckoned an' I knew).
There's arrers on yer stretcher,
 Mattress an' blankets too.

Ye're very busy writin'
 Yer bloomin' potery;
An' whinin' and recitin'
 “O come an' look at me!”
I'm Drilled an' Dressed fer Fightin',
 And Somewheres on the Sea!
While cows like you is drorin'
 Yer well-oiled big screws out,
The submerines is clorin'
 For blokes like me an' Snout.

But never mind, old cobber,
 (I've drored some screws out too).
The Lan' Shark an' the Robber
 Will give you fight to do—
You sneaked me in terbaccer
 One time—I knoo 'twas you!
Where seagulls is, or sparrers,
 Wherever there's a man,
We all is wearin' arrers
 An' do the best we can.