BOER WAR LYRICS
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MOST of the verses in this little volume were conceived and written, if not quite finished, at the time of Cronjes surrender at Paardeberg (February 1900).
Note: Paardeberg translates as Horse Mountain.
The publication of these lyrics was delayed until late 1902 due to the uncertain nature of the earlier, but imperfect, peace accord. And well the delay was, for peace was not achieved until 1902.
Growing up in apartheid-era South Africa, the Boer War formed an important part of South African childrens history lessons. What was not taught was that volumes of poetry had been written on the subject. Even Thomas Hardy famously wrote several poems about this war.
This small volume is but a sliver of the work published on the subject. One only has to browse the internet to find more volumes of prose and verse associated with this long forgotten conflict.
But we shouldnt be surprised at this for soldiers have been writing poetry about conflicts since before Alexander the Great. Now almost a tradition, the trend continues to this day with poems still being written about the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
HISTORICAL NOTE: The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic (Transvaal Republic) and the Orange Free State. It ended with a British victory and the annexation of both republics by the British Empire; both would eventually be incorporated into the Union of South Africa, a dominion of the British Empire, in 1910.
Forces in this war were called upon from all corners of the, then, British Empire. On the British side, participating countries were United Kingdom, the South African Colonies of the Cape and Natal, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), India, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and British Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).
The Boer republics of South Africa and the Orange Free State were by no means alone in their stand against the Empire. Volunteer contingents from the German Empire, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands swelled the Boer ranks. Smaller volunteer contingents were received from Belgium, France, the USA, Italy, Russia, Poland and Denmark.
The mobilisation of the world's armies for the Boer War was but a dress rehearsal for the impending 1st World War.
Excerpt from BOER WAR LYRICS - a Free eBook
CHRISTIAN DE WET
Fame long took wary note of him,
So did proud England, too, who, from his hand,
In the blood-red, flowery vintage of her land,
Has drained his pledges to their bitter brim,
Till, within the fiery cups, well-nigh an Empire swim,
Staggers for sure foot, wonders at that dizzy head,
What craze infatuate demons in yon soft spot bred,
Whence this vile feeling in each once firm limb?
What worked such odious rouse in one so free?
Made this man loathe her, so defy all fate,
That in his eye the price has fallen of all things but Hate,
Wide Earth, unregioned, where her realms not be?
Cries here not, summoning, out, like from some Furys song,
For ts dreadful due, some fierce, intolerable Wrong?
Table of Contents for BOER WAR LYRICS - a Free eBook
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS |
CONTENTS |
PREFACE |
PRELUDE |
BOER WAR LYRICS |
INTRODUCTION |
ARGUMENT |
VIDELICET (Hour before DawnThe Muse brooding) |
THE GIBBET-SONG. |
THE SCAR |
TO ENGLAND: A FORECAST |
WAR |
CLIO |
AVE PAX |
ALPHA |
OMEGA |
GREATNESS |
PETER CRONJE |
CHRISTIAN DE WET. |
OOM PAUL |
CECIL RHODES |
CHAMBERLAIN |
SALISBURY |
PEACE PENDING. |
PEACE |
AFTER |
CHRISTIAN DE WET. |
SINE DIE |
A CONCORDANCE |
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