The Ballad of Doh Da Thone
Boh Da Thone was a warrior bold:
His sword and his rifle were bossed with gold,
And the Peacock Banner his henchmen bore
Was stiff with bullion, but stiffer with gore.
He shot at the strong and he slashed at the weak
From the Salween scrub to the Chindwin teak:
He crucified noble, he sacrificed mean,
He filled old ladies with kerosene:
While over the water the papers cried,
"The patriot fights for his countryside!"
But little they cared for the Native Press,
The worn white soldiers in Khaki dress,
Who tramped through the jungle and camped in the byre,
Who died in the swamp and were tombed in the mire,
Who gave up their lives, at the Queen's Command,
For the Pride of their Race and the Peace of the Land.
Now, first of the foemen of Boh Da Thone
Was Captain O'Neil of the Black Tyrone,
And his was a Company, seventy strong,
Who hustled that dissolute Chief along.
-Kipling
In a few hours, go make the most of it. Get out your Boru Harp, and drink like Wolf the Quarrelsome.
If you need us we'll be roaming downtown and carrying it on to the Old City.
For Heaven's sake though, please don't need us.
The Minstrel Boy
ReplyDeleteThe minstrel boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death ye will find him;
His father's sword he hath girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him;
"Land of Song!" said the warrior bard,
"Tho' all the world betray thee,
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"
The Minstrel fell! But the foeman's chain
Could not bring his proud soul under;
The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again,
For he tore its chords asunder;
And said "No chains shall sully thee,
Thou soul of love and brav'ry!
Thy songs were made for the pure and free
They shall never sound in slavery!"
HL
I've become obsessed with Kipling and his fictionalized Irish Regiments.
ReplyDeleteThe father and daughter Kendalls that sang "Heaven's Just a Sin Away?"
ReplyDeleteJesus. What does fill with kerosene entail?
ReplyDelete