THE stars shone faint through the smoky blue; br The church-bells were ringing; br Three girls, arms laced, were passing through, br Tramping and singing. br Their heads were bare: their short skirts swung br As they went along; br Their scarf-covered breasts heaved up, as they sung br Their defiant Song. br It was not too clean, their feminine lay, br But it thrilled me quite br With its challenge to taskmaster villainous day br And infamous night, br With its threat to the robber Rich, the Proud, br The respectable Free.