Walter Waring, "Empire" (1928)
To guard our gold,
To guard our gold,
And watch our land........
They wait to hear
No second call--
These gay young men,
These brave young men........
And flinging taunts
At crafty Death,
They play with him
As in a game.
And if they lose,
As lose they must,
In some queer land,
On queerer field,
We'll write their names
In virgin gold
Though rare it be,
And dear it be--
And we will give
Our greentest land
To hold their dust........
Come out, young men,
To guard our gold!
Published in Black Opals, June 1928