| Walter Murdoch (1874–1970). The Oxford Book of Australasian Verse. 1918. |
| |
| 200. France |
| | | By Elliott Napier |
| |
| |
| OH, golden-lilied Queen—immortal France! | |
| Thou heritress of storied name and deed, | |
| As thou hast pluck’d, so oft, from cumb’ring weed | |
| The fragrant flow’rs of Freedom and Romance, | |
| So shalt thou seize to-day the fateful chance | 5 |
| That comes to thee in this thy hour of need, | |
| When once again thy sacred frontiers bleed | |
| Beneath the thrust of the Invader’s lance. | |
| |
| For, with the hour, hath also come again | |
| The pure and splendid spirit of the Maid | 10 |
| To nerve they sons and wipe away thy tears, | |
| Till, sanctified by Sorrow, purged by pain, | |
| Thou shalt arise, unfettered, unafraid, | |
| And walk in honour down the deathless years. | |
| |
|
|
|
