Monday, January 2, 2012

The Charge of the Light Brigade

                                           
                                                                1.

                                                     Half a league, half a league,
                                                         Half a league onward,
                                                     All in the valley of Death
                                                         Rode the six hundred.
                                                     "Forward, the Light Brigade!
                                                     "Charge for the guns!" he said:
                                                     Into the valley of Death
                                                         Rode the six hundred.

                                                                2.

                                                     "Forward, the Light Brigade!"
                                                     Was there a man dismay'd?
                                                     Not tho' the soldier knew
                                                         Someone had blunder'd:
                                                     Their's not to make reply,
                                                     Their's not to reason why,
                                                     Their's but to do and die:
                                                     Into the valley of Death
                                                         Rode the six hundred.

                                                                3.

                                                     Cannon to right of them,
                                                     Cannon to left of them,
                                                     Cannon in front of them
                                                         Volley'd and thunder'd;
                                                     Storm'd at with shot and shell,
                                                     Boldly they rode and well,
                                                     Into the jaws of Death,
                                                     Into the mouth of Hell
                                                         Rode the six hundred.

                                                                4.

                                                     Flash'd all their sabres bare,
                                                     Flash'd as they turn'd in air,
                                                     Sabring the gunners there,
                                                     Charging an army, while
                                                         All the world wonder'd:
                                                     Plunged in the battery-smoke
                                                     Right thro' the line they broke;
                                                     Cossack and Russian
                                                     Reel'd from the sabre stroke
                                                         Shatter'd and sunder'd.
                                                     Then they rode back, but not
                                                         Not the six hundred.

                                                                5.

                                                     Cannon to right of them,
                                                     Cannon to left of them,
                                                     Cannon behind them
                                                         Volley'd and thunder'd;
                                                     Storm'd at with shot and shell,
                                                     While horse and hero fell,
                                                     They that had fought so well
                                                     Came thro' the jaws of Death
                                                     Back from the mouth of Hell,
                                                     All that was left of them,
                                                         Left of six hundred.

                                                                6.

                                                     When can their glory fade?
                                                     O the wild charge they made!
                                                         All the world wondered.
                                                     Honor the charge they made,
                                                     Honor the Light Brigade,
                                                         Noble six hundred.


                                                    by  Alfred, Lord Tennyson


                                     

1 comment:

  1. This is a classic from my childhood. How could any young boy not like this?

    ReplyDelete