Poem - J. Ryan

A Soldier’s Dream of Home

By J. Ryan

On a shattered field of battle,

By a camp- re gleaming bright;

There a soldier boy lies dreaming

Of his home sweet home to-night.

He can see the blue-ridged mountains,

Of Australia’s sunny shore;

He can see the golden wattle

Blooming by the old home door.

He can hear the bush-bird singing,

Oh, how happy there he seems;

Tho’ on a field of battle,

At home in a land of dreams.

All the world’s in bloom before him,

Not a vision of cruel War;

All are scenes of peace and gladness

As they were to him before.

As he dreams of his dear mother,

Tho’ so far across the main;

In his dream he softly murmurs,

I am with you once again.

That sweet dream of home is over,

He has bid them all good-bye;

As again he slowly wakens,

From his heart there comes a sigh.

For the scenes he loved have left him-

They are fading o’er the foam;

Just a dream of tender memories,

That’s a soldier s dream of home.