Absent Minded Beggar

WHEN you've shouted "Rule Britannia," when you've sung "God save the Queen,"

When you've finished killing Kruger with your mouth,

Will you kindly drop a shilling in my little tambourine

For a gentleman in khaki ordered South?

He's an absent-minded beggar, and his weaknesses are great—

But we and Paul must take him as we find him—

He is out on active service, wiping something off a slate

And he's left a lot of little things behind him!

Duke's son—cook's son - son of a hundred kings

(Fifty thousand horse and foot going to Table Bay!)

Each of 'em doing his country's work

(and who's to look after their things?)

Pass the hat for your credit's sake,

and pay—pay—pay !

http://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/poems_beggar.htm

I didn't realise the impact this poem had at the time.