Something different to entertain

[97RangerXLT]

My son has learned this in his recital/ poetry class 4th grade

Backstory, this is about a failed charge by the British in the Crimean War in 1854 that was originaly meant to secure guns/ armament seized from the Turks the day before, but due to a goof up they were sent to the front lines in front of a well armed and prepared enemy. they were slaughtered.

The Charge of the Light Brigade

I
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

II
“Forward, the Light Brigade!”
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone 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 hundred.

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 rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.

IV
Flashed all their sabres bare,
Flashed as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wondered.
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right through the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reeled from the sabre stroke
Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.

V
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero 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 hundred.

VI
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!


By Alfred, Lord Tennyson

 

[Dirtman]

I didn't even know children studied the Crimean war in 4th grade...

 

[Curious Hound]

That’s cool. I’ve heard bits of that quoted and misquoted. But i have never read it.

Thanks

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Never heard of it until this song:

It saunters thru the history of cavalry solders, kind of a neat song.

What a deal...

Charge of the Light Brigade - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Ranger850]

I think the kids these days call that an " Epic Fail "

 

[sheep herder]

I think the kids these days call that an " Epic Fail "

In military terms, it's a cluster f***.

 

[97RangerXLT]

I didn't even know children studied the Crimean war in 4th grade...

He is not... I had to look it up as well. like others here I have heard bits and pieces of it quoted and misquoted. I read the article that @85_Ranger4x4 posted from Wikipedia to learn it was the Crimean war. This is strictly for his literature and poetry class. if Covid ever goes away and things go back to normal, his class has 4 "recite nights" a year and the class will recite this poem and then each individual class members get to recite a poem of their choosing in a solo session. they are quite neat to see, and an amazing amount of preparation on the classmates is evident.

AJ

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Its good to see Tennyson kept alive. I fear losing things like this with the new upheaval.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Its good to see Tennyson kept alive. I fear losing things like this with the new upheaval.

Even the whole event, I am kinda into history and I had never heard of it before.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Its good to see Tennyson kept alive. I fear losing things like this with the new upheaval.

that is one thing that I like about his school. they look for good literature like this... not just for Recite Night but for their reading as well. Mary Poppins by PL Travers, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, The Adventures of King Arthur by Roger Lancelyn Green. I will post some of the other Poems as well, the next one that he is doing is another that I have heard bits and pieces from but never in its entirety: Sea Fever by John Masefield.

Sea Fever by John Masefield

I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;

And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.



I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.



I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.
​