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C J Dennis - A Square Deal
Work rating: Low

"Dreamin`?" I sez to Digger Smith.
   "Buck up, ole sport, an` smile.
Ain`t there enough uv joy to-day
To drive the bogey man away
   An` make reel things worth while?
A bloke would think, to see you stare,
There`s visions on the `ill-tops there."

"Dreamin`," sez Digger Smith. "Why not?
   An` there is visions too.
An` when I get `em sorted out,
An` strafe that little bogey, Doubt,
   I`ll start me life all new.
Oh, I ain`t crook; but packed in `ere
Is thoughts enough to last a year.

"I`m thinkin` things," sez Digger Smith.
   "I`m thinkin` big an` fine
Uv Life an` Love an` all the rest,
An` wot is right an` wot is best,
   An` `ow much will be mine.
Not that I`m wantin` overmuch:
Some work, some play, an` food an` such."

"See `ere," I sez. "You `ark to me.
   I`ve done some thinkin` too.
An` this `ere land, for wot yeh did,
Owes some few million solid quid
   To fightin` blokes like you.
So don`t be too damn modest or
Yeh`ll get less than yeh`re lookin` for."

"Money?" sez Digger. "Loot?" sez `e.
   "Aw, give that talk a rest!
I`m sick uv it. I didn`t say
That I was thinkin` all uv pay
   But wot was right an` best.
An` that ain`t in the crazy game
Uv grabbin` wealth an` chasin` fame.

"Do you think us blokes Over There,
   When things was goin` strong,
Was keepin` ledgers day be day
An` reck`nin` wot the crowd would pay?
   Pull off! Yeh got it wrong.
Do you think all the boys gone West
Wants great swank `eadstones on their chest?

"You coots at `ome `as small ideer
   Uv wot we think an` feel.
We done our bit an` seen it thro`,
An` all that we are askin` you
   Is jist a fair, square deal.
We want this land we battled for
To settle up -- an` somethin` more.

"We want the land we battled for
   To be a land worth while.
We`re sick uv greed, an` `ate, an` strife,
An` all the mess that`s made uv life."...
   `E stopped a bit to smile.
"I got these thoughts Out There becos
We learned wot mateship reely was."

   .   .   .   .   .   .

The `ills be`ind the orchard trees
   Was showin` misty blue.
The ev`nin` light was growin` dim;
An` down I sat `longside uv `im,
   An` done some dreamin` too.
I dreams uv war; an` wot is paid
By blokes that went an` blokes that stayed.

I dreams uv honour an` reward,
   An` `ow to pay a debt.
For partin` cash, an` buyin` farms,
An` fitting chaps with legs an` arms
   Ain`t all -- there`s somethin` yet.
There`s still a solid balance due;
An` now it`s up to me an` you.

There`s men I know ain`t yet woke up,
   Or reckernized that debt --
Proud men `oo wouldn`t take yeh down
Or owe their grocer `arf-a-crown-
   They ain`t considered, yet,
There`s somethin` owin` -- to the dead,
An` Diggers live for more than bread.

The `ills be`ind the orchard trees
   Jist caught the settin` sun.
A bloke might easy think that there,
`Way back be`ind the range somewhere,
   Where streaks uv sunlight run,
There was a land, swep` clear uv doubt,
Where men finds wot they dreams about.


"Beauty," sez Digger, sudden-like,
   "An` love, an` kindliness;
The chance to live a clean, straight life,
A dinkum deal for kids an` wife:
   A man needs nothin` less...
Maybe they`ll get it when I go
To push up daisies. I dunno."

"Dreamin`," sez Digger Smith. "Why not?
   There`s visions on the hill."...
Then I gets up an` steals away,
An` leaves `im with the dyin` day,
   Dreamin` an` doubtin` still...
Cobber, it`s up to me an` you
To see that `arf `is dream comes true.
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