Australia to England by Archibald T. Strong.

This stirring poem was published in August 1914 by Archibald T. Strong.

It certainly captures the spirit of the moment, the last line ‘Thy sons may stand beside Thee strong and free.’ Echoing the bond felt my many in the Empire.

AUSTRALIA TO ENGLAND

By all the deeds to Thy dear glory done,
By all the life blood, spilt to serve Thy need,
By all the fettered lives Thy touch hath freed,
By all Thy dream in us anew begun;
By all the guerdon English sire to son
Hath given of highest vision, kingliest deed,
By all Thine agony, of God decreed
For trial and strength, our fate with Thine is one.

Still dwells Thy spirit in our hearts and lips,
Honour and life we hold from none but Thee,
And if we live Thy pensioners no more
But seek a nation's might of men and ships,
'T is but that when the world is black with war
Thy sons may stand beside Thee strong and free.

Archibald T. Strong


(Sir Archibald Strong was the son of Professor H.A. Strong (Professor of Latin 1884-1909), and studied Classics at University College, Liverpool, 1893-96.

Archibald T. Strong was a scholar, a writer whose most successful essay in verse is a translation of the ballades of de Banville.

Strong, who had the reputation as Australia’s most widely read and cultured person, had produced an acclaimed translation of Beowulf in 1925 and had published his own poetry on Australian themes. ..)