Poem - Jessie Pope

Coo-ee

By Jessie Pope

“Down under” boys on furlough are in town

 Discharged from hospital, repaired and braced,

Their faces still retain, their native brown,

 Their millinery captivates our taste.

They’ve proved themselves a terror to the Turk,

 Of cut and thrust they bear full many a token,

But though they’ve been through grim, heartbreaking work,

 The Anzac spirit never can be broken.

Their talk is picturesque, their manner frank,

 A little hasty, what they think— they say—

They’ve got a down on arrogance and swank,

 Passive submission doesn’t come their way.

Risk and adventure are their fondest joys,

 If there’s a fight around, well, they’ll be in it—

To tell the truth, they really are “some” boys—

You get quite friendly with them in a minute.

Quite friendly, yes, no harm in being friends,

 They must not find their furlough dull and tame,

But, girls, see to it there the matter ends,

 And show thatLondongirls can play the game,

While of good comradeship you take your fill

 Don’t use your power to make their hearts your plunder,

But let them pause, and hear when nights are still

 The other girl who coo-ees from “down under.”