A Country Ballad

Concerning a Free Library in Fiji

live in a quiet country place And natural bumpkins be; So why should Council or Government Pay heed to such as we ?

We know all this deep in our hearts.

And feel humility ; • Yet the spirit of rebels and fighting men Comes even to such as we.

Of rates and taxes we pay our share, As high as the town’s, they be; Yet our roads and tracks are a howling shame — But suffice for such as we.

Brothers and sisters come they all, From cities, poor us to see; They eat our salt, and drink our beer.

And marvel at such as we.

They say, “You must come and call.

Some day when life is free; And admire our gorgeous homes and streets’’ — Kind words for such as we.

We think of their words what they think of our beer—- Whicu is ambiguity!

I’m much afraid that the call’s riot paid— Know better than that, do we.

And among our many hardships.

Is lack of a library.

And we long for lots of papers and books, But they’re not for such as we.

In Suva Town there is a place Given by Carnegie, Crammed to the door, with books galore.

But not for such as we.

We cannot choose our fiction; Not even a list can we see— But they DOUBLE the darned subscription For people such as we.

On top of the sub. we also pay— Shall we tell Carnegie?— Fourpence in stamps for every book Posted to such as we.

The only available catalogue Is kept in the library.

In vain we try a copy to buy— » It’s not for such as we.

We have to take what they send us, No matter what book it be.

They will not be faced with the personal taste Of country clods like we.

The fate of the papers and journals old Is a dreadful mystery.

They may be lent —but they’re never sent To outback folks like we.

Only to-day we opened Our books excitedly— They were both by Bertha Ruck, sir.

And NOT for such as we.

But the P.M. grabbed our eightpence. (Oh, that such things should be!) And City folk keep battening On country mugs like we.

Fiji.