A few years ago The Golfer and I were regular visitors to a local Folk Club – one Tuesday evening back in 2011 the special guest artist was Martyn Wyndham-Read …which I blogged about here.
Anyway during that evening he sang a very poignant song
One adapted from a poem written in 1916
about the thoughts Australian Soldiers (Diggers)
may have had about leaving their fallen mates at Gallipoli (in Turkey)
Today, Monday is April 25th 2022 – Anzac Day
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_Day
One of my maternal ancestors served at Gallipoli
unfortunately he, plus his Doyle and Muir cousins never made it home
This is my tribute to all those who served and never returned
And this is the poem – written by Cicely Fox Smith in 1916
Farewell to Anzac
Oh, hump your swag and leave, lads, the ships are in the bay —
We’ve got our marching orders now, it’s time to come away —
And a long good-bye to Anzac Beach — where blood has flowed in vain
For we’re leaving it, leaving it, game to fight again!
But some there are will never quit this bleak and bloody shore —
And some that marched and fought with us will fight and march no more;
Their blood has bought till Judgment Day the slopes they stormed so well,
And we’re leaving them, leaving them, sleeping where they fell.
(Leaving them, leaving them — the bravest and the best —
leaving them, leaving them, and maybe glad to rest!
We’ve done our best with yesterday, to-morrow’s still our own —
But we’re leaving them, leaving them, sleeping all alone!)
Ay, they are gone beyond it all, the praising and the blame,
And many a man may win renown, but none more fair a fame;
They showed the world Australia’s lads knew well the way to die;
And we’re leaving them, leaving them, quiet where they lie.
(Leaving them, leaving them, sleeping where they died;
Leaving them, leaving them, in their glory and their pride —
Round them sea and barren land, over them the sky,
Oh, We’re leaving them, leaving them, quiet where they lie!)
http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/47926-Cicely-Fox-Smith-Farewell-To-Anzac
Cicely Fox Smith (pronounced “sigh-sli” as in precisely) 1882 – 1954
Linking to Denyse’s new fortnightly on a Monday feature ~ Life’s Stories
Still Waters 