In The Days When The World Was Wide
Henry Lawson
The world is narrow and ways are short, and our lives are dull and slow,
For little is new where the crowds resort, and less where the wanderers
go;
Greater, or smaller, the same old things we see by the dull road-side —
And tired of all is the spirit that sings of the days when the world
was wide.
When the North was hale in the march of Time, and the South and the West
were new,
And the gorgeous East was a pantomime, as it seemed in our boyhood’s
view;
When Spain was first on the waves of change, and proud in the ranks of
pride,
And all was wonderful, new and strange in the days when the world was
wide.
Then a man could fight if his heart were bold, and win if his faith were
true —
Were it love, or honour, or power, or gold, or all that our hearts pursue;
Could live to the world for the family name, or die for the family pride,
Could fly from sorrow, and wrong, and shame in the days when the world
was wide.
They sailed away in the ships that sailed ere science controlled the
main,
When the strong, brave heart of a man prevailed as ’twill never
prevail again;
They knew not whither, nor much they cared — let Fate or the winds
decide —
The worst of the Great Unknown they dared in the days when the world
was wide.
They raised new stars on the silent sea that filled their hearts with
awe;
They came to many a strange countree and marvellous sights they saw.
The villagers gaped at the tales they told, and old eyes glistened with
pride —
When barbarous cities were paved with gold in the days when the world
was wide.
’Twas honest metal and honest wood, in the days of the Outward
Bound,
When men were gallant and ships were good — roaming the wide world
round.
The gods could envy a leader then when ‘Follow me, lads!’ he
cried —
They faced each other and fought like men in the days when the world
was wide.
They tried to live as a freeman should — they were happier men
than we,
In the glorious days of wine and blood, when Liberty crossed the sea;
’Twas a comrade true or a foeman then, and a trusty sword well tried —
They faced each other and fought like men in the days when the world
was wide.
The good ship bound for the Southern seas when the beacon was Ballarat,
With a ‘Ship ahoy!’ on the freshening breeze, ‘Where
bound?’ and ‘What ship’s that?’ —
The emigrant train to New Mexico — the rush to the Lachlan Side —
Ah! faint is the echo of Westward Ho! from the days when the world was
wide.
South, East, and West in advance of Time — and, ay! in advance
of Thought
Those brave men rose to a height sublime — and is it for this they
fought?
And is it for this damned life we praise the god-like spirit that died
At Eureka Stockade in the Roaring Days with the days when the world was
wide?
We fight like women, and feel as much; the thoughts of our hearts we
guard;
Where scarcely the scorn of a god could touch, the sneer of a sneak hits
hard;
The treacherous tongue and cowardly pen, the weapons of curs, decide —
They faced each other and fought like men in the days when the world
was wide.
Think of it all — of the life that is! Study your friends and foes!
Study the past! And answer this: ‘Are these times better than those?’
The life-long quarrel, the paltry spite, the sting of your poisoned pride!
No matter who fell it were better to fight as they did when the world
was wide.
Boast as you will of your mateship now — crippled and mean and
sly —
The lines of suspicion on friendship’s brow were traced since the
days gone by.
There was room in the long, free lines of the van to fight for it side
by side —
There was beating-room for the heart of a man in the days when the world
was wide.
With its dull, brown days of a-shilling-an-hour the dreary year drags
round:
Is this the result of Old England’s power? — the bourne of
the Outward Bound?
Is this the sequel of Westward Ho! — of the days of Whate’er
Betide?
The heart of the rebel makes answer ‘No! We’ll fight till
the world grows wide!’
The world shall yet be a wider world — for the tokens are manifest;
East and North shall the wrongs be hurled that followed us South and
West.
The march of Freedom is North by the Dawn! Follow, whate’er betide!
Sons of the Exiles, march! March on! March till the world grows wide!