While The Billy BoilsSearch"A party of Irish immigrants arrived at a Melbourne wharfthe other day. The first thing one of them, a young man,did was to open his box and take out a hard-baked sod whichhe gave to an old woman (evidently the mother of some of them),who received them on the wharf. She kissed it and 'blessedherself'. It was part and parcel with the grand ould sod towhich her heartstrings clung."--Melbourne Newspaper.
It's only a sod, but 'twill break me ould heartNigh hardened wid toilin' and carin',And make the ould wounds in it tingle and smart.It's only a sod, but it's parcel and partOf strugglin', sufferin' Erin.
It's only a sod, but it rakes the ould pain--The ould love in me heart that still lingers,That Time has been soothing and docth'ring in vain;And now he must soothe it and heal it againWid his kindly and gentle ould fingers.
It's only a sod, but I see a big shipThrough the gallopin' waters come tearin',And a lass that looks back on the horizon dip,Wid eyes full of tears and a thrimblin' lip,On the last that she saw of ould Erin.
It's only a sod, but wid care it will keepTill me brooms and me brushes are silintPut it into me arms ere they bury me deep,And tell them old Biddy the "slavey" does sleep'Neath a sod from the bogs of ould Irlint.