OH, this is a song of the old lights, that came to my heart like a hymn; <br />And this is a song for the old lights—the lights that we thought grew dim, <br />That came to my heart to comfort me, and I pass it along to you; <br />And here is a hand to the good old friend who turns up as good as new. <br />And this is a song for the camp-fire out west where the stars shine bright— <br />Oh, this is a song for the camp-fire where the old mates yarn to-night; <br />Where the old mates yarn of the old days, and their numbers are all too few, <br />And this is a song for the good old times that will turn up as good as new. <br /> <br />Oh, this is a song for the old foe—we have both grown wiser now, <br />And this is a song for the old foe, and we’re sorry we had that row; <br />And this is a song for the old love—the love that we thought untrue— <br />Oh, this is a song of the dear old love that comes back as good as new. <br /> <br />Oh, this is a song for the black sheep, for the black sheep that fled from town, <br />And this is a song for the brave heart, for the brave heart that lived it down; <br />And this is a song for the battler, for the battler who sees it through— <br />And this is a song for the broken heart that turns up as good as new. <br /> <br />Ah, this is a song for the brave mate, be he Bushman, Scot, or Russ, <br />A song for the mates we will stick to—for the mates who have stuck to us; <br />And this is a song for the old creed, to do as a man should do, <br />Till the Lord takes us all to a wider world—where we’ll turn up as good as new.<br /><br />Henry Lawson<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/as-good-as-new/
