The Drums of Battersea

Henry Lawson, 1902

      They can't hear in West o' London, where the worst dine with the best —
      Deaf to all save lies and laughter, they can't hear in London West —
      Tailored brutes and splendid harlots, and the parasites that be —
      They can't hear the warning thunder of the Drums of Battersea.
             More drums! War drums!
             Drums of Misery —
      Beating from the hearts of men — the Drums of Battersea.

      Where the hearses hurry ever, and where man lives like a beast,
      They can feel the war-drums beating — men of Hell! and London East.
      And the far-off foreign farmers, fighting fiercely to be free,
      Found new courage in the echo of the Drums of Battersea.
             More drums! War drums!
             Beating for the free —
      Beating on the hearts of men — the Drums of Battersea.

      And the drummers! Ah! the drummers! — stern and haggard men are those
      Standing grimly at their meetings; and their washed and mended clothes
      Speak of worn-out wives behind them and of grinding poverty —
      But the English of the English beat the Drums of Battersea!
             More drums! War drums!
             Drums of agony —
      The big bruised heart of England's in the Drums of Battersea.

      Where in fields slave Englishwomen, Oh! the sound of drums is there:
      I have heard it in the laughter of the nights of Leicester Square —
      Sailing southward with the summer, London but a dream to me,
      Still I feel the distant thunder of the Drums of Battersea!
             More drums! War drums!
             Drums of Liberty —
      Rolling round the English world — the Drums of Battersea.

      Oh! I heard them in the Queen's Hall — aye! and London heard that night —
      While we formed up round the leaders while they struck one blow for right!
      And the old strength, that old fire, that I thought was dead in me,
      Blazed up fiercely at the beating of the Drums of Battersea!
             More drums! War drums!
             They beat for victory —
      When above the roar of Jingoes rolled the Drums of Battersea.

      And where'er my feet may wander, and howe'er I lay my head,
      I shall hear them while I'm dreaming — I shall hear them when I'm dead!
      For they beat for men and women, beat for Christ, and you and me:
      There is hope and there is terror in the Drums of Battersea!
             More drums! War drums!
             Drums of destiny —
      There's hope! — there's hope for England in the Drums of Battersea.