free-verse26 lines

Fed Up

I ain't a timid man at all, I'm just as brave as most,

I'll take my chance in open fight and die beside my post;

But riding round the 'ole day long as target for a Krupp,

A-drawing fire from Koppies, well, I'm fair fed up.

It's wonderful how few get hit, it's luck that pulls us through;

Their rifle fire's no class at all, it misses me and you;

But when they sprinkle shells around like water from a cup

From that there blooming pom-pom gun, well, I'm fed up.

We never get a chance to charge, to do a thrust and cut,

I'll have to chuck the Cavalry and join the Mounted Fut.

But after all, What's Mounted Fut? I saw them t'other day,

They occupied a koppie when the Boers had run away.

The Cavalry went riding on and seen a score of fights,

But there they kept them Mounted Fut three solid days and nights,

Three solid starving days and nights with scarce a bite or sup.

Well! after that on Mounted Fut I'm fair fed up.

And tramping with the Footies ain't as easy as it looks,

They scarcely ever see a Boer except in picture books.

They do a march of twenty mile that leaves 'em nearly dead,

And then they find the bloomin' Boers is twenty miles ahead.

Each Footy is as full of fight as any bulldog pup,

But walking forty miles to fight, well, I'm fed up.

So after all I think that when I leave the Cavalry

I'll either join the ambulance or else the A.S.C.;

They've always tucker in the plate and coffee in the cup,

But bully beef and biscuits, well! I'm fair fed up!