Thursday, August 31, 2006


"Tommy" by Rudyard Kipling



I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I: O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away"; But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play, The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play, O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls! For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside"; But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide, The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide, O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleepIs cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bitIs five times better business than paradin' in full kit. Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?" But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll, The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll, O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints; While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind", But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind, There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind, O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our faceThe Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace. For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!" But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot; An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please; An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

2 comments:

Heidi said...

In response to your comment on my blog:

why does everyone act like creating something new is ridiculous? When our forefathers got together and created the American democracy, it was a radically new form of government.

Since the whole two party thing has gotten old and has become completely dysfunctional, maybe the government should make some major changes...

but they can't do it unless everyone gets involved and WANTS to change. And since the people who want change don't have enough power, and the people with the power are rich and don't want change, we are in a difficult situation.

Robert Broyles said...

Now I think you are wrong. The people have all the power they choose not to use it. When someone comes along who has a great idea, people choose not galvanize around that idea. Most people are so enthralled with all the useless information that is out on cable Television. I don't need to know who won project runway, or Big Brother 20000000, nor do I need to hear about how Donald Trump fired his blonde assistant 20 million times on CNN, FoxNews, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC. And since we are talking about this great nation, why do i need to be exposed to MTV twisted sense of morality. Everyone MTV is a WHORE, media or otherwise. Paris Hilton is the Antichrist, or the female equivilent. We are customers of these companies. They are rich and they are in power. Why do you think we have become such a self centered society. You as the next generation can change all of this. We need to stop thinking that everyone should have the same rights as everyone else. I know that NOW has touted that women should be able to do everything that men can do, well that is wrong. NOW has also said that Birth Control would help marraiges, give women a better foothold in the market place, and that their would be less divorce. Has that really happened happened? Absolutely, not. I look forward to hearing you comment. I can't really talk to anyone else in your age group. The government issue could be resolved if people actually took part in their own government.