'Forward, the Light Brigade!'
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldiers knew
Some one had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Cannon to the right of them,
Cannon to the 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.
Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turned 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.
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.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!
By
Lord Tennyson
I love this poem. It captures the utter futility that war can often be, whilst also reminding of the human cost, regardless of which side you're in. Can't help but read this and think of all the sons and daughters lost in the name of conquest, God, or even oil.
ReplyDeleteAnd the story behind the poem highlights what a tragic waste of life - most of the 600 decimated due to a poorly worded order, yet they went to their deaths carrying out their duties. Initially this made me think how life has changed, how that sense of duty and responsibility has passed from our culture, yet we still have brave soldiers on foreign shores carrying out orders that they don't necessarily agree with for a cause that probably isn't theirs.
Haunting, beautiful, yet ultimately tragic.