Untitled

Venal Vera

They call me Venal Vera, I'm a lovely from Gezira,
The Führer pays me well for what I do.
The order of the battle, I obtained from last night's rattle
On the golf course with a Brigadier from 'Q'.

I often have to tarry on the back seat of a gharry,
It's part of my profession as a spy,
While his mind's on copulation I'm exacting information
From a senior GSO or GSI.

When I yield to the caresses of the DDWS's
I get from them the low-down on the works,
And when sleeping in the raw with a major from G4
I learn of Britain's bargain with the Turks.

[instrumental]

On the point of his emission, in the 23rd position,
While he quavered with exotic ecstasy,
I heard of the location of a very secret station
From an over-sexed SO from OS3.

So the Colonels and the Majors, and the whisky-soaked old stagers
Enjoy themselves away from England's shore,
Why do they bring victory nearer when the lovelies of Gezira
Provide them with a lovely fucking war?

Notes

1] Gezira: Gezira is in Sudan, but the Gezira Golf Club in Cairo (a favored stop for British soldiers in World War II) may be intended.

5] gharry: box-like horse-drawn vehicle typical of the Near East.

8] GSO: General Staff Officer. GSI: General Staff Intelligence.

9] DDWS: Perhaps "Department of Drinking Water Supply" staff.

16] SO: Senior Officer. OS3: perhaps "Operations Specialist 3".

18] stagers: veterans.

Original text: Kiss Me Goodnight, Sergeant Major: The Songs and Ballads of World War II, ed. Martin Page (St. Alban's, Frogmore, Herts: Panther, 1975): 134-35. PR 1175 V4P3 1975 University of Victoria