Do you think, you slaves of a thousand years to poverty, wealth and pride,
You can crush the spirit that has been free in a land that’s new and wide?
When you’ve scattered the last of the farmer bands, and the war for a while is over,
You will hold the land – ay, you’ll hold the land – the land that your rifles cover.
Till your gold has levelled each mountain range where a wounded man can hide,
Till your gold has lighted the moonless night on the plains where the rebels ride;
Till the future is proved, and the past is bribed from the son of the land’s dead lover –
You may hold the land – you may hold the land just as far as your rifles cover.
(Henry Lawson)
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Based on Topics: Man Poems, War & Peace Poems, Money & Wealth Poems, Past Poems, Sons Poems, Pride Poems, Future Poems, Rebellion Poems, Poverty PoemsBased on Keywords: rifles, levelled, bribed, moonless