Poem

God Defend the Commonwealth

by Thomas Edward Spencer · 1906

God defend the Commonwealth. Preserve our southern nation. God protect its sons and make them brave and free.Watch and guard the cradle of Australian Federation. Grant that in its manhood it may serve and honour Thee. God defend the Commonwealth, Bless our new Australian nation, Grant our people peace and health, God preserve our Federation.
Grant that all our rulers may have strength and power to guide us; Wisdom, truth, and justice to determine all their ends.Plant the blessed Spirit of a lasting Peace beside us, Make Australians brothers, and make all mankind their friends. God defend the Commonwealth, Bless our new Australian nation, Grant our people peace and health, God preserve our Federation.
Guard our new Britannia and maintain the old one's glory, Weld the bond of kinship that encircles all the earth;Grant that on each page that we may add to Britain's story, Glory may be added to the land that gave us birth. God defend the Commonwealth, Bless our new Australian nation, Grant our people peace and health, God preserve our Federation.
God defend the Commonwealth and all its sons and daughters; God preserve the flag that flies beneath our sunny sky,Emblem of Fraternity, it floats across the waters, Grant us strength and courage to defend our flag or die. God defend the Commonwealth, Bless our new Australian nation, Grant our people peace and health, God preserve our Federation.
Sources, publication & text notesReference details
Canonical recordPOEM-002148
Copy-textHow McDougall Topped the Score and Other Verses and Sketches (1906), University of Sydney institutional edition prepared against the N.S.W. Bookstall print edition (SRC-000148); independently compared with Project Gutenberg Australia (SRC-000024)
Source recordSRC-000148
Rights determinationRGT-000387
Text statusCANONICAL TEXT READY
TranscriptionDIPLOMATIC_D208

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