A woman’s son, and a woman’s lover—
Yer’d think as nobody ’eld ’im dear,
As ’e stands, a clear mawk, art o’ cover,
An’ leads the rush when the end is near;
One more ridge and the end is near,
One more step an’ the bullet’s sped.
My God, but they’re well-officered,
The Comp’ny of ar Dead!
Never they’ll ’ear the crard a-cheerin’,
These ’ull never come beck agine;
Theer welkim ’ome is beyond our ’earin’,
But theer nimes is writ, an’ theer nimes remine,
An’ deep an’ lawstin’ theer nimes remine
Writ in theer blood for theer country shed;
An’ they stan’s up strite an’ they knows no shime,
The Comp’ny of ar Dead.
Barry Pain.
NEWBOLT
CXII
ADMIRALS ALL
A SONG OF SEA KINGS
Effingham, Grenville, Raleigh, Drake,
Here’s to the bold and free!
Benbow, Collingwood, Byron, Blake,
Hail to the Kings of the sea!
Admirals all, for England’s sake,
Honour be yours and fame!
And honour, as long as waves shall break,
To Nelson’s peerless name!
Admirals all, for England’s sake,
Honour be yours and fame!
And honour, as long as waves shall break,
To Nelson’s peerless name!
Essex was fretting in Cadiz Bay
With the galleons fair in sight;
Howard at last must give him his way,
And the word was passed to fight.
Never was schoolboy gayer than he,
Since holidays first began:
He tossed his bonnet to wind and sea,
And under the guns he ran.