I
Half a league side, half a league side,
Half a league side onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six first teamers.
“Forward, the Slight Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six first teamers.
II
“Forward, the Slight Brigade!”
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone (in the Boardroom) had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six first teamers.
III
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they tried and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six first teamers.
IV
Flashed all their sabres bare,
Flashed as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners (well, ok, Chelsea) there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wondered.
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right through the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian (owner)
Reeled from the sabre stroke (of Iwobi's one effort)
Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six first teamers
V
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While Jordan and The Douc fell.
They that had fought so well
Came through the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six first teamers
VI
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Slight Brigade,
Noble six and the rest!
Half a league side, half a league side,
Half a league side onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six first teamers.
“Forward, the Slight Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six first teamers.
II
“Forward, the Slight Brigade!”
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone (in the Boardroom) had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six first teamers.
III
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they tried and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six first teamers.
IV
Flashed all their sabres bare,
Flashed as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners (well, ok, Chelsea) there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wondered.
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right through the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian (owner)
Reeled from the sabre stroke (of Iwobi's one effort)
Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six first teamers
V
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While Jordan and The Douc fell.
They that had fought so well
Came through the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six first teamers
VI
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Slight Brigade,
Noble six and the rest!
