[Editor: This poem by H.C.C., about the fight for the Federation of Australia, was published in The Critic (Adelaide, SA), 29 July 1899.]
The Last Call.
(For Vic.’s final federal poll.)
Federalists, a year ago,
When we charged upon the foe
Strongly did we let them know
What is meant by Yes;
Not our fault the year’s delay,
Others threw the chance away,
Strong with us they stand to-day
For assured success.
Side by side again we greet
Day that cannot bring defeat
By the foe who feebly bleat
With uncertain strain;
They are but a tiny group,
And when we to rout them stoop,
Raise we no great cock-a-whoop,
All the State around.
Towering o’er their little band,
Look we on a future grand,
But we win from all the land
Little pride or thanks;
If the sureness of success
Make our ardor aught the less,
Feeling, but not voting, Yes
In the Federal ranks.
Vote, the foe that now we meet
In the country, in the street,
We must face and quick defeat
In ourselves alone;
Vote! A record vote to-day
Talks when we have passed away,
Stamps us patriots for aye
In a nation grown!
H.C.C.
Source:
The Critic (Adelaide, SA), 29 July 1899, p. 9
Editor’s notes:
aught = anything; anything at all, anything whatsoever
aye = always, forever
cock-a-whoop = elated, extremely pleased, very happy; in high spirits, to show joy with an excited clamour; possibly derives from the phrase “to set the cock on the hoop”, i.e. to turn on the cock (spigot, tap) of a barrel, and to let people drink the alcoholic beverage with abandon, thus becoming cheerful and exuberant (however, there are other theories as to the origin of the phrase)
o’er = (archaic) over (pronounced the same as “oar”, “or”, and “ore”)
Vic. = an abbreviation of Victoria (a colony in Australia from 1851, then a state in 1901)
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