I ain't a timid man at all, I'm just as brave as most, <br />I'll take my chance in open fight and die beside my post; <br />But riding round the 'ole day long as target for a Krupp, <br />A-drawing fire from Koppies -- well, I'm fair fed up. <br />It's wonderful how few get hit, it's luck that pulls us through; <br />Their rifle fire's no class at all, it misses me and you; <br />But when they sprinkle shells around like water from a cup <br />From that there blooming pom-pom gun -- well, I'm fed up. <br /> <br />We never get a chance to charge, to do a thrust and cut, <br />I'll have to chuck the Cavalry and join the Mounted Fut. <br />But after all -- What's Mounted Fut? I saw them t'other day, <br />They occupied a koppie when the Boers had run away. <br />The Cavalry went riding on and seen a score of fights, <br />But there they kept them Mounted Fut three solid days and nights -- <br />Three solid starving days and nights with scarce a bite or sup. <br />Well! after that on Mounted Fut I'm fair fed up. <br /> <br />And tramping with the Footies ain't as easy as it looks, <br />They scarcely ever see a Boer except in picture books. <br />They do a march of twenty mile that leaves 'em nearly dead, <br />And then they find the bloomin' Boers is twenty miles ahead. <br />Each Footy is as full of fight as any bulldog pup, <br />But walking forty miles to fight -- well, I'm fed up. <br /> <br />So after all I think that when I leave the Cavalry <br />I'll either join the ambulance or else the A.S.C.; <br />They've always tucker in the plate and coffee in the cup, <br />But bully beef and biscuits -- well! I'm fair fed up!<br /><br />Andrew Barton Paterson<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/fed-up/
