Four rushed the Bondi shooters, only one made it. A married couple about to celebrate their 35th anniversary and a 62 year old man didn’t quite.
The Three stood calm and silent,
And looked upon the foes,
And a great shout of laughter
From both the shooters rose:
And from trio’s hearts came memory
That they would ne’er forget
To essay one last action, to live one moment yet
With boldness known to those who’ve done with life
Forward sped the ancient men and wife
And straight against the shooters two
Forth went the dauntless Three.
For elders in their children’s quarrel
Spare neither land nor gold,
Nor wheel nor crutch, nor any prop,
Nor pause for word of hold.
Then out spake bold Boris,
A mechanic till of late:
‘To every man upon this earth
Death cometh soon or late.
And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers,
And to show up tardy plods
And still of a winter’s night, they say,
when the surf is in the seas,
When the nursing night watch checks for empty beds
When the beach is a ribbon of moonlight over the southern shores,
A couple comes a walking, walking, walking
A couple comes walking, up to the sounding strand.
“One kiss, my bonny sweetheart,
it’s our anniversary to-night,
Yet, if they press me sharply,
and harry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I’ll come to thee by moonlight,
though hell should bar the way.”