R E C E SSIO NA L
AND
O T H ER
PO EMS
3
ma m m a l
fl
VIC TOR I/YN O D E
O D of our fathers known of old
L o rd o f our far fl u n g battle line
B eneath whose awful ha n d w e h o ld
Domini o n over palm and pine
L o rd God of Hos ts b e with us ye t
L e s t we fo rget — lest w e fo rget
,
-
,
,
The t um u lt and t he sh o uting dies
The Cap t ains and the K ings depar t
S t ill stands Thine ancient sacrifice
An humble and a contri t e h e ar t
Lord God of Hosts be with us y et
Les t we fo rge t — lest w e forget
'
,
.
,
,
.
[
I
]
B e c ez s f un a l
F ar- called , o ur
navies melt away
On dune and headland sinks t he fir e
L o all our pomp of yes t erday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyr e
udge
of
the
N
ations
spare
us
y
e
t
J
—
Lest we fo rge t lest w e forge t I
,
,
,
If drunk w ith sigh t of power we l oo se
Wild tongues tha t have n o t Thee in aw e
Such boasting as the Gentiles use
Or lesser breeds without the Law
Lord God of Hosts be with us y et
—
Lest w e fo rget les t we forg et I
,
,
,
,
,
For heathen heart t ha t pu t s her t rus t
In reeking tube and iron shard
All valiant dust that builds on dust
And guarding calls not Thee to gu ard
For frantic boast and foolish word
Thy Mercy on Thy People Lord
,
,
,
fl me n
[
2
]
.
@132 (H a mp tre
'
'
'
A S SU
E S TE D
'
TH E PA INTIN
”
B2
B T BH IL I P BUR N
j
E—
‘
o NE S
'
FO OL t here was and h e mad e his prayer
Even
as
you
and
I
i
(
'
o a rag and a bone and a hank of hair
We
called
her
the
woman
who
did
n
ot
care
(
Bu t t he fool he called her his lady fair
Even
as
you
and
I
(
In
1
'
'
,
the years we waste and the t e ars we was t e
And the work of our head and hand
Belong to the woman who did not kn ow
And
now
we
know
that
she
never
could
know
(
And did n ot understand
Oh
.
A foo l there was and his goods he spent
Even
as
you
and
I
(
Honour and faith and a sure intent
[
3
]
'
@139 a
a mp i t e
’
And
it
was
n
t
the
least
what
the
lady
meant
(
But a fool must follow his natural b e n t
Even
as
you
and
I
(
'
,
th e to il we lost and t he sp o il we l o s t
And the ex cellent things we planned
Belong to the woman who did n t kn o w why
And
now
we
know
she
never
knew
why
(
And did not understand
Oh
'
’
.
The fo o l
w as
stripp ed to his foolish hid e
Even
as
you
and
I
(
Which she might have seen when she thr ew him
aside
B
ut
it
is
n t on record th e lady t ried
(
S o some o f him lived bu t t he m o s t of him di e d
I
Even
as
you
and
I
(
'
'
’
’
’
And it is n t t h e sham e and it is n t t he bla me
That s t ings like a white h ot brand
-
[
.
4
]
ma mpi re
fit b e
’
It 3 coming to know that she never knew
Seeing
at
last
s he could never know why
(
And never could understand
'
w hy
.
i ma
m
m
m
1
9
?
.
’
”
HAT are the bugles b lo w i n for ? said
'
F l le S—o n Parade
”
“
To tu rn you out to turn you o ut the C o l ou r
S e rgeant said
”
“
What makes you l o ok s o w hite so w hit e ? said
Files o n Parade
”
I m d r e a d i n what I ve got to wa t ch the C o lo u r
Sergeant said
.
sl
I
O
“
.
-
J
.
.
A;
N
,
,
.
,
-
-
.
’
’
’
,
.
Eo r t hey
’
’
re hangin Danny Deever y ou c a n h ea r
the Dead March play
’
’
The regiment s in o llo w square — th e y r e hang
i n him to day
,
,
’
’
-
[
5
]
D
a n ny
E a rn er
’
’
They ve taken of his but t ons o f? an cut his
stripes away
’
An they re hangin Danny Deev er in t he
,
’
m o rn i n
’
.
”
’
Wha t m a kes t he rear rank breat h e so ard 9 said
Files o n Parade
”
“
I t s bitter cold it s bit t er cold t he C o lour
Sergeant said
”
“
9
What makes that front rank man fall d ow n
—
says Files o n Parade
”
“
A t ouch 0 sun a touch 0 su n the Colo u r
Sergean t said
“
-
.
-
-
.
’
’
,
,
.
-
.
-
.
’
’
,
,
.
They are hangin Danny Deever they are
marchin of i m round
They ave alted D a n n y D e e v e r by is c o fli n on
the gro u nd 5
’
’
An e ll swing in arf a minu t e for a s n e a ki n
shootin hound
O they r e hangin Danny Deever in the m o rn i n l
,
’
’
,
’
’
’
’
‘
’
’
’
’
’
’
[
6
]
E a ti n g E a rn e r
’
”
’
Is c o t was right and c o t to mine said Files o n
Parade
”
’
’
“
—
the C o lour
E s s le e p i n o u t an far to night
Serge ant said
”
’
“
I ve dr unk is b ee r a sc o re 0 times said Files
o n Parade
”
“ ’
th e C o l ou r S e r
E s d r i n k i n bi tte r b ee r al o ne
ge an t said
-
-
,
.
’
’
,
.
’
’
,
-
’
.
’
-
,
.
’
Th e y are hangin Danny Dee v er yo u mus t mark
’
i m t o is place
’
—
i
n
you must look
Fo r e shot a comrade s le e p
i m in the face
’
Nine un dred of is coun t y an t he regiment s
disgrace
m
o rn i n
[
While they re hangin Danny Deever in the
,
’
,
’
’
’
’
’
’
,
.
’
“
’
”
’
Wha t s tha t so black agin the sun 3 said Files
o n Parade
’
’
”
“
I t s Danny fi g h t i n ard fo r life t he Colour
Sergeant said
-
.
’
,
.
[ 7 ]
E m my 33 m m
’
”
’
that that w himpers o v e r e a d 3 said Files
o n Parade
”
It s Danny s soul that s p a ssin n o w the Col o ur
Sergeant said
What
3
-
.
’
’
’
’
,
.
’
For they re d o ne with Danny Deever y o u can
ear the quickstep play
The regiment s in column and t hey r e marchin
us away
’
’
’
H o the young recruits are shakin an t hey ll
w ant their beer to day
’
’
Afte r hangin Danny Deever i n t he m o rn i n
,
’
,
’
’
’
,
'
,
-
,
.
5
‘
@ommp
beer
“
The publican e up an sez We serve no red
”
coats here
’
The girls b e i n d the bar they laughed an giggled
fi t to die
’
I outs into the street again an to myself s e z I
,
’
’
,
.
’
,
,
’
’
Tommy this an Tommy tha t an
”
“
Tommy go away ;
’
”
Bu t i t s Thank you Mister Atkins when t he
band begins to play
The band begins t o play my boys t he band b e
gins to play
’ “
”
O i t s Thank you Mis t er Atkins when the
band begins to play
O it
8
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
.
I wen t in to a t hea t re as sober as c o uld b e
’
’
They gave a drunk civilian ro o m bu t a d n t n o n e
fo r me
,
,
t r.
[ 9 ]
fit ummp
They sen t me t o the gallery o r round the music
’
alls
’
’
B ut w hen i t c o m es to fi g h t i n L o rd I t h e y 11 sh o v e
me in the s t alls I
,
,
’
’
’
F o r i t s Tommy t his a n Tommy t ha t a n
”
“
Tommy wait ou tside ;
’ “
”
Bu t it s S pecial train for Atkins wh e n the
’
t r o oper s on the tide
’
The t roopship s o n t he t ide my boys the t roo p
’
ship s on the tide
”
’
O it s S pecial train for Atkins wh e n t he
’
tro oper s on the tide
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
.
’
’
Yes makin mock o uniforms that guard y o u whil e
you sleep
’
’
Is cheaper than t hem u niforms an t hey r e s t a rv a
t ion cheap
’
’
’
’
An h u s t li n drunken s o ldi e rs when t hey re g o in
,
,
large a bi t
’
Is five t l m e s be t ter business t han paradin in full kit
[
1 0
]
.
6:0 m
’
’
’
Then it s Tommy t his an Tommy that an
’
”
’
T o mmy 0 w 5 yer soul 3
”
’
’ “
Bu t it s Thin red line of c ro e s w he n t he
drums begin to roll
The drums begin to roll my b o ys t h e drum s
begin to roll
’
’
”
“
O it s Thin red line of e r o e s wh e n t h e
drums begin to roll
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
.
’
’
e ro e s
’
We ar e n t no thin red
nor we are n t no
blackguards to o
But single men in b a rr i c k s most remarkable like you ;
’
’
An if sometimes our c o n d u c k is n t all your fancy
paints
Why single men in b a r r i c ks don t grow in to plas
ter sain ts
,
,
,
’
,
’
’
’
While it s Tommy t his an T o mmy t ha t a n
’
”
Tommy fall b e i n d ;
’
”
“
But it s Please to walk in fron t sir w hen
’
there 3 trouble in the wind
,
,
,
,
,
[
1 1
]
,
(t ummy
’
’
There s trouble in the wind my b o ys there s
t rouble in the w ind
’
”
“
O it s Please to walk in fron t sir w h en
’
there 8 trouble in the wind
,
,
,
,
,
.
’
’
’
Y o u t alk 0 be t t e r fo od for us a n scho o ls a n fir e s
an all
We 11 wait for e x t ry ra t ions if you t reat us rati o nal
Don t mess about t he cook ro o m slops but pro ve i t
t o o ur face
The Widow s unifo rm is n ot th e s o ldi e r man s dis
grac e
,
,
,
’
’
.
’
-
,
.
’
-
’
.
’
’
’
T o mmy t his an T om my t ha t an
”
Chuck him out the bru te l
Bu t i t s Saviour o f is coun t ry whe n t he gu ns
begin t o shoot
’
Y e s i t 3 Tommy t his an Tommy t ha t a n
any t hing y o u please
—
B ut Tommy ain t a b lo o m i n foo l y ou be t t ha t
Tommy sees l
Fo r i t
3
,
,
,
’
.
’
’
,
,
,
’
’
[
1 2
]
ma xm um
“
i
'
”
SO UD A N E XPED I TI ONfl R T F O R CE
‘
'
E VE fought with many men a c ro s t the
seas
An some of em was brave an some was not
The Pa y t h a n an the ulu an Burmese
But the Fuzzy was the finest o the lot
W e never got a ha porth s change of i m
’
E squatted in the scrub an o c k e d our o r s e s
E cut our sentries up at Su a é i m
An e played the cat an banjo wi t h o ur forces
’
,
'
’
’
’
’
,
,
’
’
.
’
’
’
’ ’
’
,
’
,
’ ’
’
.
’
’
’
So ere s t o y o u Fuzzy Wuzz y a t y o ur ome
in the Soudan
’
’
You re a pore benigh t ed e a t h e n b ut a fi rs t
class fi g h t i n man ;
We gives you your cer t ifica t e an if y o u w ant
it signed
’
We 11 come an have a r om p wi t h y o u when
ever you r e inclined
-
,
,
,
’
’
,
,
’
’
.
[
1
3
]
il
’
We took o ur chanst among the Ky b e r ills
The Boers knocked us silly at a mile
The Burman give us Ir r i w a dd y chills
An a ulu i mp i dished us up in s tyle
But all we ever got from such as they
Was pop to what the Fuzzy made us s wa lle r
We eld our b lo o m i n own the papers say
Bu t man for man the Fuzzy kn ocked us o ller
,
’
,
'
,
’
’
,
,
’
’
’
.
’
Then ere s t o you Fuzzy Wu z zy an t he
missis an the k i d
Our ord e rs was to br e ak y o u a n o f co u rse
’
we went an did
’
’
We sloshed y ou wi t h Mar t inis a n i t was n t
’
fair
a rdl
y
’
Bu t for all the o d d s a g i n y o u Fuz z y W uz
you br o ke the sq u are
-
,
,
’
’
,
.
,
\
-
,
,
.
9
’
’
’
as n t go t n o papers of is o wn
’
E as n t got no medals nor rewards
,
’
’
[
I4
]
,
f
’
’
’
’
u35y
‘
m u532
’
’
’
a daisy e s a ducky e s a lamb l
'
—
E s a inJia rubber idi o t on the s Pree
’
E s the on y thing that does n t give a da m n
l
n
f
n
r
B
ri
t
ish
0
I
a
t
e
e
For a R egimen t
E
s
’
,
,
’
a
’
’
’
’
’
’
’
So ere s t o you Fuzzy Wuzzy a t y o ur ome
in the S o udan
You re a pore benigh t ed e a t h e n b u t a fi rs t
’
class fi g h t i n man
’
An ere s t o you Fuzzy Wuzzy wi t h y o ur
’
’
a
r i c k ead of ai r
y
You big black b o u n d i n b e ggar — fo r y o u
br o ke a B ritish squar e
-
,
,
’
’
,
’
’
-
,
,
’
’
f
[
1
6
1
fi
mdfit mfi
rr e
c
MO K I N my pipe on the mountings s n i fli n
the m o rn i n c o ol
I wa lks in my old br o wn gaiters al o ng 0 my o ld
brown mul e
’
With seventy gunners b e i n d m e an never a beg
gar forgets
’
I t s o n ly the pick of the Army t ha t hand le s t he
d e ar li tt le p e ts — Tss l Tss i
’
’
,
’
,
’
,
’
,
’
’
F o r you all love the screw gu ns — t h e screw
gu ns they all love you l
S o wh e n we call round with a few guns 0 course
—
you will kn ow wha t to do hoo l hoo l
’
— it s
e
s
t
send
in
your
Chief
an
surre
n
der
J
worse if you fights or you runs
Y o u can go where yo u please y o u can skid u p
’
t he t r ee s b ut y o u do n t g et a w ay fr om t h e
gun s
-
’
,
’
,
,
.
[
I
7
]
t etn cb un fi
g m
s
They sends us along where the roads are but
mos t ly we goes w here they ain t
We d climb up the side of a sign board an trust to
the stick 0 the paint
We ve chivied the Naga an Lo o s h a i we ve give
the Af r e e d e e m a n fits
For we fancies ourselves at two t h ousand w e g uns
t ha t are built in t wo bits
Tss l Tss
,
’
’
’
-
,
’
’
’
’
,
,
,
’
F o r you all l o ve the scr ew
-
’
u
ns
et
c
,
g
.
’
’
’
If a man do e s n t work why we drills i m an
’
’
t eaches i m o w to behave ;
If a beggar can t march why w e kills i m a n ra t
’
t les i m into is grave
’
You v e got t o stand up t o our business an spring
wi t hout s n a t c h i n or fuss
D you say tha t you sweat wi t h the fi e ld g uns ? By
’
—
u
G o d you mus t lather with s
Tss Tss
,
,
’
’
,
’
,
’
.
’
,
’
.
’
-
’
,
For y ou all love t he scr ew gu ns
-
[
1
8
]
,
et c
.
@cwmwa n fi
‘
’
’
The eagles is scr e amin ar ou n d u s t he river s a
’
m o a n i n bel o w
’
’
’
We re clear 0 t he pine an t he o ak scru b we re
out on the rocks an the snow
An the wind is as thin as a whip lash what carries
away to t he plains
’
The ra t tle an stamp of the l e ad m ules t h e ji n g le t y
’
’
’
ink
o
t
he
chains
Tss
Tss
I
j
,
’
-
,
’
’
-
-
,
F o r you all l ov e t h e screw gu ns etc
-
,
.
There a wheel on the H o rns o the M o rn i n a n
a wheel on the edge 0 the Pit
’
’
An a drop into nothin beneath you as straigh t as a
beggar can spit
’
With the swea t r u n n i n out 0 y o ur shir t sle e ves
an the sun o f the snow in your face
’
’ ’
An arf o t he men on the drag ropes to h o ld the
’
o ld gu n in e r place
Tss l Tss l
’
s
’
’
’
,
’
,
’
-
,
’
,
-
’
’
For y o u all love the screw guns etc
-
,
[
1
9
]
.
@ rt z m dfiun fi
s
’
’
my pipe o n t he mou ntings s n i fl i n the
m o r n i n cool
’
I climbs in my old brown gaiters al ong 0 my old
brown mule
The monkey can say wha t our road was — t he
W ild goat e knows where we passed
’
Stand easy you long eared old d a r li n s l Ou t drag
’
r o pes IWith shrapnel Hold fast
T s s l Tss
Sm o ki n
‘
,
’
,
.
’
-
-
,
.
'
’
'
y ou all love the screw guns — t he screw
guns they all love you i
’
So when we take t ea with a few guns 0 course
—
you will know what to do hoo l hoo l
’
— it s
es
t
send
in
your
Chief
an
surrender
J
worse i f you fights or you runs
’
’
You may ide in the caves they 11 be only your
graves but you can t ge t away from the
gu ns I
Fo r
-
,
’
,
’
,
ma n ua ls ?
’
Y the old Moulmei n Pagoda l o okin east
ward to t he sea
’
’
’
There s a B urma girl a s ett in a n I know sh e
t hinks 0 me
’
For the wind is i n t h e palm t r ees an t h e t emple
bells they say
“
Come you back yo u B ri t ish so ldier ; c ome yo u
”
back t o Mandalay l
,
,
-
,
’
-
,
,
C o m e yo u back to Man dalay
Where the old Flotilla lay
’
’
’
Can t you ear t hei r paddles c h un k i n from
go o n t o Mandalay ?
O n t he road to Mandalay
’
Where t he fl y i n fi s h e s play
’
An the dawn comes up lik e t h un d e r
China cr ost th e Bay 1
,
Ra n
,
-
,
’
oute r
ap a n na i a p
’
’ ’
e r
pet t icoat was ya lle r an
little cap was green
’
An e r name was Supi yaw lat — je s the same as
’
ueen
T he e b a w s
’
’
’
’
—
An I seed e r firs t a s m o k i n of a w h a c k i n whi t e
chero o t
’
’
’
’
A n a wa s t i n Chris t ian kisses on an e a t h e n idol s foo t
’
’
Blo o m i n idol made 0 mud
What they called the Grea t Gawd Budd ;
’
Pl ucky l o t she car e d for id o ls w h e n I kiss e d e r
w h e r e she s tu d
O n t h e r o ad t o Mandalay et c
Er
'
,
’ ’
-
,
-
,
-
.
.
,
’
Wh e n t h e mis t w a s on t h e ric e fi e ld s an t h e s u n
’
was d ro pp i n slow
’
’
’
’
“
She d git e r li tt l e banjo an sh e d sing Kulla
lo—lo l
’’
’
With e r arm up o n my shoulder an e r cheek agin
m y cheek
'
’
’
22: pilin
W e u s e t e r wa t ch t h e s te ame rs an t he ha t /
teak
-
,
,
,
,
.
[
2 2
]
w
a n ua la y
’
’
’
I am sick 0 w a s t i n leather o n these gritty pavin
st o nes
’
An the blas t ed H e n g li s h drizzle wakes th e fever in
my b ones ;
’
Though I walks w i t h fift y o u s e m a i d s o u te r Chel
sea to the S t rand
An th e y t alks a l ot 0 lovin b ut wot d o t h e y u n
,
,
’
’
’
,
d e rs t a n d 3
’
I
’
ve
’
B eefy fac e an gru bby and
Law l w ot d o t hey unders t and
a ne ater sw eete r maide n i n a
gr ee n e r lan d l
O n t h e r o ad to Ma n dalay e t c
,
,
l e ane r
,
.
s omew h e r e s Eas t o f S uez w h e r e t h e b es t
is like t he wors t
Where t here are n t no Ten C omm an dm ent s an a
man can raise a t hirs t
’
’
’
F o r t he t empl e bells ar e cal li n a n i t 3 t h e r e t ha t I
wou ld b e
Ship
me
c
,
,
’
’
,
-
,
[
2
4
]
n
fl
a
a
i
a
g
@
’
By the old Mo ulmein Pago da lookin lazy at th e
sea
,
,
the r o ad t o Man dalay
Where t he old Flotilla lay
With o u r sick beneath the a wn i n s w h en we
went to Mandalay l
O n the road to Mandalay
Where the fly i n fi s h e s play
An t he dawn comes u p lik e th un d e r oute r Chi n a
’
cros t th e Bay
O
n
,
,
’
,
’
-
,
’
5
‘
[
2
5
]
@t n op i n
’
'
( O UR A RM Y IN TH E EA ST
‘
R O O PIN ,
’
’
’
to the sea :
’
’
—
Ere 5 September come again the s i x year
men are fr e e
O leav e t h e dead b e i n d u s for t hey cannot co me
away
’
’
To where t he ship 5 a c o a li n up t ha t t ak es u s om e
to—day
t ro o p i n
,
t ro o p i n
-
.
’
,
’
-
.
’ ’
’
’ ’
’
We re goin o me we r e goi n o me
Our ship is a t t he shore
An you must pack your a v e rsa c k
For we won t com e back no m o r e
’
Ho don t you grieve for me
My lovely Mary Ann
’
’
For I ll marry you yit on a f o u r p n y bi t
As a time ex pired man i
,
,
’
’
,
’
.
,
,
-
’
’
’
The Malabar s in arbour with the Ju m n e r at e r t ail
An t he t ime ex pired s w a i t i n of is orders fo r to sail
,
’
-
’
’
[
2
6
]
,
’
.
@rnn p i n
'
’
’
’
Ho the weary wa i t i n when on K hyber ills w e
lay
’
’
But the tim e e x p i r e d s wa i t i n o f is orders o me
—
t o day
’
-
’
.
’
They ll turn us ou t a t P o r t s mout h wharf in cold
an we t an rain
All w e a r i n In ji a n c ot t o n ki t bu t we will n ot co m
plain
They ll kill u s of pn e umonia — for tha t s t heir
little way
Bu t damn the chills and fe v e r m e n w e r e g o i n
’
o m e to d a y l
’
’
,
’
,
.
’
’
'
’
,
’
-
T ro o p i n
’
t ro o p i n
’
— w i nte r
’
r oun d agai n I
’
See the new d ra f s p o u r i n i n for t he old ca m paign
Ho you po o r r e c r u i t i e s l but y o u ve g ot t o earn
your pay
’
What s the las t from L un non lads ? W e r e goin
there to day
,
3
’
.
’
,
’
,
-
.
[
2
7
]
’
@t oup i n
T ro o p i n
’
’
’
’
give ano t her ch e er
E n glish women a n a q u ar t of English
t ro o p i n
,
’
’
Ere s to
be e r ;
’
’
’
The Colon e l a n t h e regim e n t an all who v e got
to stay
’
Gawd s mercy s t rik e e m g ent le Wh o op we re
’ ’
g o in ome to day
''
,
’
-
.
’ ’
’
’
’ ’
We r e g o in ome w e r e go in o me
Our ship is at the shore
An you must pack your a v e rs a c k
’
For we won t come back n o m o re
Ho don t you grieve for me
My lovely Mary Ann
F o r I ll marry you yit on a f o u r p n y bi t
As a t i m e ex pired man
,
,
’
’
,
.
’
,
,
’
’
-
3
[
2
8
]
,