Fiji, 1953

WE now awake, to find the sleeping years Have spread a darkling shadow o’er the skies Of this fair land of ours. Time serving men, With muddled thinking and unconscious lies, Have placed in jeopardy the sacred trust To guard and keep intact our Island home.

What then this horde, of Asiatic breed, That sweeps across our land like seething foam!

If we survive, then this it cannot bo That one among these Servants hath a plan To right the wrong, untangle all the skeins: These times can not produce that man.

This problem grave, it cannot be resolved By talking men in council; they are just Successors to the countless other men Now gone to whence they came— into the dust.

Great warriors we, and athletes of renown: The pity is that this great energy Is not directed to the jobs at home Instead of serving others out across the sea.

A country won, it is not always so That only by the use of arms to win Mere courage can defeat the open foe.

A different thing, the enemy within.

Our land we claim, and this land must be used For our own good. And this is what we need: The indolence of years to cast away; The fertile earth must know the

quick’ning seed.

No medals here, no paths to glory lead; But untilled acres, knowing nought of plough Can point the way to duty. We must see A different kind of war is on us now. 99