A circle of mountains standing high,
Reaching up to the Rhodesian sky.
In the valley down below,
They'd watched the town of Umtali grow.
It was a beautiful peaceful place,
But soon that would no longer be the case.
For on that fateful starry night,
The cowards came to start their fight.
The mortar bombs they did rain down,
On that little border town.
Deafening explosions in the dead of night,
Crying children as they hid in fright.
Emergency procedures we'd been taught,
And we comforted those who comfort sought.
And so it was that at the break of day,
There was just one thing for the people to say.
They said, "God must be on our side"
Because through it all not one had died.
And later that day they were in for a treat,
As the people of Umtali looked down Main Street.
They stopped in their stride and looked dumbstruck,
For there was Miss Clarke in an army truck.
And behind our headmistress and filled with pride,
The pupils of Umtali Girls High did stride.
Rhodesian Never Die we sang,
And through the valley our voices rang.
We sent our message loud and clear,
Their mortar bombs we would not fear.
And though they could try whatever they might,
We wouldn't give up without a fight.
The following day with a roar in the sky,
Our air force planes above did fly.
They were off to Mozambique,
We knew it was revenge they'd seek.
And as they returned they did a victory roll,
Leaving the enemy to count their death toll.
They did it just for you and me,
They did it to keep our country free.
The bombs would continue for a time so long,
But with pride the people of Umtali stood strong.
And through it all together we stood,
Both young and old as only Rhodesians could.
And so on Rhodesia's final day,
We gathered in our great school hall to pray.
For the last time our National Anthem we sang,
And up to the heavens our voices rang.
Then is silence we stood and cried,
On that day that Rhodesia died.
We all believed we'd failed in our quest,
We all knew we'd been betrayed by the West.Sandy Botha
E Mail - sandy@design-a-gift.ie© Sandy Botha 2003
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