Words by the Wayside By James Rhoades |
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The Charge of the 9th Lancers |
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 | Words by the Wayside |  |
129
The Charge of the 9th Lancers
(August 24th, 1914)
Fling the fame of it far and wide!
O Mother, arise and praise thy sons!
Wherever an English banner floats,
Tell with pride
Of the Lancers' ride
Into the gaping thunder-throats
And hell of the hidden guns!
O Mother, arise and praise thy sons!
Wherever an English banner floats,
Tell with pride
Of the Lancers' ride
Into the gaping thunder-throats
And hell of the hidden guns!
Toss the tale to the listening stars!
Just a handful against a host,
Hot to punish, athirst to save,
Straight as bound for the hurdle-bars
Rode they, reckless of least or most,
Into the fierce mephitic breath
Sputtering fury, dinning death!
Charger and rider one wild wave—
Proud horse-billow with human crest—
Hurled on the bellowing reef anear!
“Gallop, my beauties!” and on they pressed,
Fetlock to fetlock, breast by breast,
Clothed with thunder, mocking at fear,
Lightning-hooved at their lords' behest!
Just a handful against a host,
Hot to punish, athirst to save,
Straight as bound for the hurdle-bars
Rode they, reckless of least or most,
Into the fierce mephitic breath
Sputtering fury, dinning death!
Charger and rider one wild wave—
Proud horse-billow with human crest—
Hurled on the bellowing reef anear!
“Gallop, my beauties!” and on they pressed,
Fetlock to fetlock, breast by breast,
Clothed with thunder, mocking at fear,
Lightning-hooved at their lords' behest!
Mother, arise and praise thy sons!
Hero-names of a thousand years
Hail them Paladins, claim them peers.
Be thou glad of thy dauntless ones!
Tell with pride
Of that morning-tide,
England honoured and death defied—
How they rode for thee, side by side,
To silence the hidden guns!
Hero-names of a thousand years
Hail them Paladins, claim them peers.
Be thou glad of thy dauntless ones!
Tell with pride
Of that morning-tide,
England honoured and death defied—
How they rode for thee, side by side,
To silence the hidden guns!
| Words by the Wayside | |