Microsoft Word - Final Julian Croft


Coolabah, No.9, 2012, ISSN 1988-5946, Observatori: Centre d’Estudis Australians, 

Australian Studies Centre, Universitat de Barcelona 

 

 

38 

 

For Bruce Bennett 

 

Julian Croft 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Bruce Bennett 

 

 

That conference at our last time together 

Was of Peace and War at Gallipoli. 

We climbed the Nek in cold Autumnal weather, 

Stood at Lone Pine, took in the holy 

Sights of futile sacrifice and wondered, 

As thousands have before and will again, 

Those Balaclava words ‘someone had blundered’, 

And youth and hope was once more lost in vain. 

We’re told that Anzac made our nation, 

That we’re the proud inheritors of loss, 

And each step we’ve made is one more station 

Of its apotheosis on the Southern Cross. 

One thing you’ve done, despite our constant wars, 

Is open windows to a peace, not theirs, but yours. 

 

Julian Croft (born 31 May 1941) is an Australian poet and Emeritus Professor of 

English, University of New England. He was a founder of the Association for the Study 

of Australian Literature and co-edited its journal, Notes and Furphies for many years. In 

addition to gathering prizes for his published poems he has writtenwidely aross genres 

and academic themes 

Copyright ©  Julian Croft 2012 This text may be archived 

and redistributed both in electronic form and in hard copy, 

provided that the author and journal are properly cited 

and no fee is charged