There is a quiet gentleman a-motoring in France
(Oh, don’t you hear the honking of a British motor-car?)-
Like any quiet gentleman that you may meet by chance,
Who doesn’t wear a uniform, and doesn’t sport a star.
Another quiet gentleman is sitting by his side
(Oh, do you hear the “shuffling feet” tonight in Gay Paree?)-
The honking of their motor-car, when they go for a ride,
Is louder than the biggest gun that’s made in Germany.
Another quiet gentleman, who’s very like the first
(Oh, don’t you hear the tinkle of the sleigh-bells on the snow?)
Is riding out in Russia now to watch the best and worst.
Oh, hear the bells of Petrograd a-ringing soft and low-
The Christmas bells of Petrograd, that hail the birth of Christ;
The sleigh-bells from the opera that hail the birth of Sin-
While eyes of men are dried in Hell and hearts of men are iced-
Are louder than the loudest blare that’s blaring in Berlin.
(Henry Lawson)
More Poetry from Henry Lawson:
Henry Lawson Poems based on Topics: Man, Hell, Sin, Christianity, Chance, Birth, Snow, Jesus Christ, Christmas, Performance Arts- Ruth (Henry Lawson Poems)
- Mostly Slavonic (Henry Lawson Poems)
- With Dickens (Henry Lawson Poems)
- One Hundred and Three (Henry Lawson Poems)
- The Ballad of the Elder Son (Henry Lawson Poems)
- Brighten's Sister-In-Law [or The Carrier's Story] (Henry Lawson Poems)
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Based on Topics: Man Poems, Christianity Poems, Jesus Christ Poems, Sin Poems, Snow Poems, Hell Poems, Birth Poems, Chance Poems, Christmas Poems, Performance Arts PoemsBased on Keywords: iced, motor-car, blaring, a-ringing, sleigh-bells, paree, honking, petrograd