The Route March
Did you hear the children singing, O my brothers?
Did you hear the children singing as our troops went
         marching past?
             In the sunshine and the rain,
             As they'll never sing again---
Hear the little schoolgirls singing as our troops went
         swinging past?

Did you hear the children singing, O my brothers?
Did you hear the children singing for the first man and
         the last?
            As they marched away and vanished
            To a tune we thought was banished---
Did you hear the children singing for the future and
         the past?

Shall we hear the children singing, O my brothers?
Shall we hear the children singing in the sunshine
         or the rain?
            There'll be sobs beneath the ringing
            Of the cheers, and 'neath the singing
There'll be tears of orphan children when Our Boys
         come back again!

(Henry Lawson)