English Poetry. Henry Lawson. At the Beating of a Drum. Генри Лоусон.

Henry Lawson (Генри Лоусон)

At the Beating of a Drum

Fear ye not the stormy future, for the Battle Hymn is strong, 
And the armies of Australia shall not march without a song; 
The glorious words and music of Australia’s song shall come 
When her true hearts rush together at the beating of a drum. 

We may not be there to hear it – ’twill be written in the night, 
And Australia’s foes shall fear it in the hour before the fight. 
The glorious words and music from a lonely heart shall come 
When our sons shall rush to danger at the beating of the drum. 

He shall be unknown who writes it; he shall soon forgotten be, 
But the song shall ring through ages as a song of liberty. 
And I say the words and music of our battle hymn shall come, 
When Australia wakes in anger at the beating of a drum.

Henry Lawson’s other poems:

1. The Free-Selector’s Daughter
2. Wide Spaces
3. The City Bushman
4. I’ll Tell You What You Wanderers
5. The Sliprails and the Spur

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