Hong-Kong Lyrics.

I.      At anchor in that harbour of the island,         The Chinese gate,      We lay where, terraced under green-clad highland,         The sea-town sate.      Ships, steamers, sailors, many a flag and nation,         A motley crew,      Junks, sampans, all East's swarming jubilation,         I watched and knew.      Then, as I stood, sweet sudden sounds out-swelling         On the boon breeze,      The church-bells' chiming echoes rang out, telling         Of inland peace.      O English chimes, your music rising and falling         I cannot praise,      Although to me it come sweet-sad recalling         Dear childish days.      Yet, English chimes, - last links of chains that sever,         Worn out and done,      That land and creed that I have left for ever, -         Ring on, ring on! II.      There is much in this sea-way city         I have not met with before,      But one or two things I notice         That I seem to have known of yore.      In the lovely tropical verdure,         In the streets, behold I can      The hideous English buildings         And the brutal English man! III.      I stand and watch the soldiers         Marching up and down,      Above the fresh green cricket-ground         Just outside the town.      I stand and watch and wonder         When in the English land      This poor fool Tommy Atkins         Will learn and understand?      Zulus, and Boers, and Arabs,         All fighting to be free,      Men and women and children,         Murdered and maimed has he.      In India and in Ireland         He's held the People down,      While the robber English gentleman         Took pound and penny and crown.      To make him false to his order,         What was it that they gave -      To make him his brother's oppressor?         The clothes and pay of a slave!      O thou poor fool, Tommy Atkins,         Thou wilt be wise that day      When, with eager eyes and clenched teeth,         Thou risest up to say:      "This is our well-loved England,         And I'll free it, if I can,      From every rotten bourgeois         And played-out gentleman!"