Read "The Jolly Dead March" by Henry Lawson online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
If I ever be worthy or famous -- / Which I'm sadly beginning to doubt -- / When the angel whose place 'tis to name us / Shall say to my spirit, ‘Pass out! ' / I wish for no sniv'lling about me / (My work was the work of the land), / But I hope that my country will shout me / The price of a decent brass band.
Thump! thump! of the drum and ‘Ta-ra-rit,' / Thump! thump! and the music -- it's grand, / If only in dreams, or in spirit, / To ride or march after the band! / And myself and my mourners go straying, / And strolling and drifting along / With a band in the front of us playing / The tune of an old battle song!