Saturday 25 April 2015

"We're All Australians Now" - Banjo Paterson



A poem by Bango Paterson. ~ We're All Australians Now ~

We're All Australians Now 
      Australia takes her pen in hand,
To write a line to you,
 To let you fellows understand,
How proud we are of you.
        From shearing shed and cattle run,
  From Broome to Hobsons Bay,
   Each native-born Australian son,
Stands straighter up today.
       The man who used to "hump his drum",
On far-out Queensland runs,
Is fighting side by side with some
Tasmanian farmer's sons.
The fisher-boys dropped sail and oar
To grimly stand the test,
Along that storm-swept Turkish shore,
With miners from the west.
The old state jealousies of yore
Are dead as Pharaoh's sow,
We're not State children any more
We're all Australians now!
Our six-starred flag that used to fly,
Half-shyly to the breeze,
Unknown where older nations ply
Their trade on foreign seas,
Flies out to meet the morning blue
With Vict'ry at the prow;
For that's the flag the Sydney flew,
The wide seas know it now!
The mettle that a race can show
Is proved with shot and steel,
And now we know what nations know
And feel what nations feel.
The honoured graves beneath the crest
Of Gaba Tepe hill,
May hold our bravest and our best,
But we have brave men still.
With all our petty quarrels done,
Dissensions overthrown,
We have, through what you boys have done,
A history of our own.
Our old world differences are dead,
Like weeds beneath the plough,
For English, Scotch, and Irish-bred,
They're all Australians now!
So now we'll toast the Third Brigade,
That led Australia's van,
For never shall their glory fade
In minds Australian.
Fight on, fight on, unflinchingly,
Till right and justice reign.
Fight on, fight on, till Victory
Shall send you home again.
And with Australia's flag shall fly
A spray of wattle bough,
To symbolise our unity,
We're all Australians now


The video I had from youtube has been taken down.

16 comments:

  1. Beautiful Margaret and thanks Banjo.

    I think that many so-called present Aussies should be made aware of this
    poem. Might just teach them some pride and appreciate the freedoms that they now
    enjoy courtesy of one word - "mateship".
    Recent arrivals and even some who have been born here may just learn something.
    The anti-Anzac spirit brigade - small as it is - pin head size - disgusts me.
    Colin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't know the poem existed even though I have been to Winton to the Museum there.
      Good on Channel 9 for doing the short video and like you we all should be made aware of this wonderful poem.
      Those Anit-Anzac don't do much for me either..

      Delete
  2. Hi, greetings from Malaysia. Great videos, it is always good to know the history of our land and remembered those who have sacrificed their lives.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Nancy,
      Thanks for visiting and commenting....
      Yes, it's good to know our history..

      Delete
  3. I hadn't heard that one before and yet I'm a fan of Banjo Paterson

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh yes, the words of Banjo Patterson. My mum used to know many of his poems by heart.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, did she. They are all beautiful poems, but have not read them all as yet.

      Delete
  5. I was not able to play the video. I hope that you had a lovely weekend. All the best in the new week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ok. I know sometimes it's difficult to have the correct format for videos so everyone can play. Mine is mp4.

      Delete
  6. I was unable to play the video as well, Janice. I meant to tell you that there is a page on Facebook called "Meanwhile in Australia" that you may enjoy. It is similar to the things I post on my blog from "Meanwhile in Canada", but the reason I don't post the ones from the Australian page is because of the language...:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Linda. That is what happened to me when I visit your blog until recently, now I can view.
      Thanks for that information - can understand you might not understand the Australian 'lingo' = Language..even though it's english :)

      Delete
    2. Hi Janice, what I meant about the language is that it is foul language/cursing. LOL! I should have been more clear. Because my blog is family friendly I don't put anything like that on it, which is why I don't share the stuff, but some of it is funny. :)

      Delete

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