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1903
LIVED a woman wonderful, | |
| (May the Lord amend her!) | |
| Neither simple, kind, nor true, | |
| But her Pagan beauty drew | |
| Christian gentlemen a few | 5 |
| Hotly to attend her. | |
| |
| Christian gentlemen a few | |
| From Berwick unto Dover; | |
| For she was South Africa, | |
| And she was South Africa, | 10 |
| She was Our South Africa, | |
| Africa all over! | |
| |
| Half her land was dead with drouth, | |
| Half was red with battle; | |
| She was fenced with fire and sword | 15 |
| Plague on pestilence outpoured, | |
| Locusts on the greening sward | |
| And murrain on the cattle! | |
| |
| True, ah true, and overtrue. | |
| That is why we love her! | 20 |
| For she is South Africa, | |
| And she is South Africa, | |
| She is Our South Africa, | |
| Africa all over! | |
| |
| Bitter hard her lovers toiled, | 25 |
| Scandalous their payment,— | |
| Food forgot on trains derailed; | |
| Cattle-dung where fuel failed; | |
| Water where the mules had staled; | |
| And sackcloth for their raiment! | 30 |
| |
| So she filled their mouths with dust | |
| And their bones with fever; | |
| Greeted them with cruel lies; | |
| Treated them despiteful-wise; | |
| Meted them calamities | 35 |
| Till they vowed to leave her! | |
| |
| They took ship and they took sail, | |
| Raging, from her borders— | |
| In a little, none the less, | |
| They forgat their sore duresse, | 40 |
| They forgave her waywardness | |
| And returned for orders! | |
| |
| They esteemed her favour more | |
| Than a Throne’s foundation. | |
| For the glory of her face | 45 |
| Bade farewell to breed and race— | |
| Yea, and made their burial-place | |
| Altar of a Nation! | |
| |
| Wherefore, being bought by blood, | |
| And by blood restorèd | 50 |
| To the arms that nearly lost, | |
| She, because of all she cost, | |
| Stands, a very woman, most | |
| Perfect and adored! | |
| |
| On your feet, and let them know | 55 |
| This is why we love her! | |
| For she is South Africa, | |
| She is Our South Africa, | |
| Is Our Own South Africa, | |
| Africa all over! | 60 |
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