I SAW A KID OUT MARCHIN', WITH MEDALS
ON HIS CHEST.
HE MARCHED ALONGSIDE DIGGERS WHO WERE MARCHIN SIX ABREAST.
HE KNEW THAT IT WAS ANZAC DAY - HE WALKED ALONG WITH PRIDE.
HE DID HIS BEST TO KEEP IN STEP WITH THE DIGGERS BY HIS SIDE.
AND WHEN THE MARCH WAS OVER AND THE KID WAS RATHER TIRED.
A DIGGER SAID "WHOSE MEDALS SON?", TO WHICH THE KID REPLIED:
"THEY BELONG TO MY DADDY, BUT HE DID NOT COME BACK
HE DIED UP IN NEW GUINEA ON A LONELY JUNGLE TRACK".
THE KID LOOKED RATHER SAD, THEN A TEAR CAME TO HIS EYE.
THE DIGGER SAID "DON'T CRY MY SON, AND I WILL TELL YOU WHY,
YOUR DADDY MARCHED WITH US TODAY
IT'S LIKE THAT ON ANZAC DAY."
WE DIGGERS KNOW THAT HE WAS THERE -
ALL THE BLOOMIN WAY.
THE KID LOOKED RATHER PUZZLED, AND DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
BUT THE DIGGER WENT ON TALKING, STARTING TO WAVE HIS HAND.
"FOR THIS GREAT LAND WE LIVE IN, THERE'S A PRICE WE HAVE TO PAY.
AND FOR THIS THING CALLED FREEDOM, THE DIGGERS HAD TO PAY."
FOR WE ALL LOVE FUN AND MERRIMENT IN THIS COUNTRY WHERE WE LIVE,
THE PRICE FOR THAT WAS SOLDIERS, THEIR PRECIOUS LIFE MUST GIVE.
FOR YOU TO GO TO SCHOOL MY LAD, AND WORSHIP GOD AT WILL
SOMEONE HAD TO PAY THE PRICE, SO THE DIGGERS PAID THE BILL.
YOUR DADDY DIED FOR US MY SON, FOR ALL THINGS GOOD AND TRUE,
I WONDER IF YOU UNDERSTAND, THE THINGS I'VE SAID TO YOU."
THE KID LOOKED UP AT THE DIGGER, JUST FOR A LITTLE WHILE,
AND WITH A CHANGED EXPRESSION, SAID, WITH A LOVELY SMILE:
"I KNOW MY DADDY MARCHED HERE TODAY
THIS, OUR ANZAC DAY,
I'M SURE HE DID - I KNOW HE DID -
ALL THE BLOOMING WAY"
LEST WE FORGET. |