The Song That Men Should Sing - Kenneth Mackay - TAKE 2

Note: One analysis of ‘The Song That Men Should Sing’ has already been posted. However, I thought I’d post this one as well as the views presented in this are quite opposite to the views presented in the other one, the more points of view the better.

The poem “The song that Men should sing” is a poem by Australian poet Kenneth Mackay in 1899. In it, the author counters the popular notion that peace and general disarmament go hand in hand. It is important to note that the author, Kenneth Mackay, served in the Boer War and had a strong military background.

The poem contains strong themes of nationalism, anti-pacifism, and racist undertones. The mentality of military people is expertly conveyed through the writer’s point of view. The ingrained belief that war is a necessary part of existence is repeated throughout the piece.

Before we continue, it is important to note that that unlike the other Australia-centred poems present in our additional English syllabus, this poem is not apologetic or in the slightest bit remorseful of the genocide inflicted upon the aborigines. It glorifies the wars waged against these tribal people (perceived to be sub-human). It is also important to note that while the other two poems we have to study (Elder’s passing and The Last of his Tribe) never attained fame or publicity in their time, this poem was published in textbooks for white school children for almost 30 years!

The cohorts who fought when the world was young
Have their blood-red legends told,
For a hundred poets have bravely sung
The deeds of the days of old.

The story is writ of the men who fell
In desert and sun-scorched track:
The legions who served their country well -
The heroes who marched 'Out Back' ... 

The first two stanzas speak on the stories often told of the heroes and soldiers who fought for their country during the beginning of Australia’s bastardized ‘colonization’. Many military words are used to invoke a sense of military honour and bravery.

But they tell us now, in their lifeless lays,
These knights of the stool and pen,
We must boast no more of the stirring days
When they fought and fell like men ... 

In the third stanza, we are told that we should glorify these men no more; they exist no longer, they are long dead.  If we continue to glorify them we are justifying our sluggish laziness through the bravery of our ancestors. In simple terms, we shouldn’t live off the glory of those who are long since deceased.

But the tale is best that has oft been told,
If it love of birthland bring;
And the song they sang in days of old
Is the song that I will sing ... 

This stanza serves as an introduction to the end of the poem. In it, the first two lines inspire a direct sense of nationalism. The final line links back to the title as well as the first stanza. In short, what the poet is saying is that he is aligning himself with the men of old, the soldiers who fought. He’s saying that we can’t establish ourselves as a fighting race merely because our ancestors fought; we too must fight.

We won the land from a nerveless race,
Too mean for their land to fight;
If we mean to hold it we too must face
The adage that 'might is right'.

It matters nothing what dreamers say,
When they prate that wars must cease,
For the lustful war-god holds his sway
In these piping days of peace ... 

                In the above two stanzazs, the author begins the conclusion. The first line is of particular significance, predominantly for its colonial tone of racial superiority. Rather than expressing remorse or sympathy for the aborigines, he calls them a nerveless race. The usage of the phrase nerveless race in this context is an extension of the stereotype created by the British that the aborigines were lazy and cowardly.

                The poet proceeds to state that invasion or war will inevitably come. The aborigines didn’t expect it, and neither will they, the modern day Australians. If they wish to maintain this country they love so dearly they must be prepared and ready to fight for it, rather than merely basking in the glory of their ancestors.

                But why do we need war? Why do we need armies? Can’t we all live peacefully?  Is what many of us might say. The poet is quick to dismiss this notion as folly. He states that war will always exist, as it looms even over days of peace. The usage of the word prate ( infinitive tense of prattle) is particularly significant to the poem. Prattle is a derogatory verb used to describe someone talking on and on about something they know very little about. Through this line, his  dislike of pacifists and his military intuition are brought to the forefront.

So our lads must learn there's a sterner task
Than playing a well-pitched ball;
That the land we love may some day ask
For a team when the trumpets call.

A team that is ready to take the field
To bowling with balls of lead,
In a test match grim, where if one appealed,
The umpire might answer 'dead'!

The poet winds up the poem. In the first of the above stanzas, the author begins a cricket metaphor.  He is saying that we can’t merely exist peacefully and carelessly as that is what the aborigines did. Rather, we must be prepared and ready to fight.

The final stanza provides an interesting extension of the cricket metaphor. The bowling with balls of lead is a reference to firing bullets in the battlefield. The team in this context is a reference to an army.

In conclusion, the poet is saying that he has no problem with peace, but merely wishes to be ready in the event of a war or invasion. The coupling of the gentleman’s sport of cricket with the violence of war provides the aforementioned ideology.