If the King of England signed the Bill and force was used to coerce the Ulster loyalists, he for one would never again sing the National Anthem. How could he sing "God Save the King" if his Majesty gave his sanction to such an iniquitous measure? (Hear, hear.) - Speaker at a Melbourne Orange meeting.
Never again! Though he starve and die
For the lack of praise we gave him.
Never again! Though he yearn and sigh
For the strains of the old "Gor' Save 'Im."
If a king will thus transgress our rules
We loyalists shall down our tools.
What is the use of a king to us
Who is dead against our notions --
Mocking our whims and our foibles thus,
And our "loyal" Orange motions?
What is the use of our loyalty
If a king won't think the same as we?
Never again shall we doff the hat
To the strains of anthems royal:
When they lift their voices -- (mostly flat) --
And declare they still are loyal.
And the lack of howls in a minor key
Shall rack his soul with misery.
Not a word of ours shall praise his name,
For he counts no more our cobber.
And a king who fails to play our game
Ain't worth a single slobber.
Then let him reign in silence grim;
This lack of praise will madden him.
Never again shall the rafters ring
With a midnight song uproarious,
Asking heaven to save our king
And to send him great and glorious.
And heaven, marking well the lapse,
Will cease its patronage, perhaps.
Then let him mope in his castle dim,
A king unsung, ungreeted;
And yearn in vain for the loyal hymn
To which he once was treated.
And let him weep and cry in vain:
"Let's hear 'Gor' Save' just once again!"
Never again! Though he plead with sobs
And on his knees doth sue us!
For kings who want to hold their jobs
Must be respectful to us.
If they ignore our little ways
Henceforth shall we withhold all praise.
Upon his throne in London town
A king sat up and wondered.
The loyal howls he longed to drown
No more around him thundered.
"Nay, can it be we are so blest?
Peace! Peace at last! Now may we rest!"
First published in The Bulletin, 23 April 1914
Author reference sites: C.J. Dennis, Austlit, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian Poetry Library
See also.
