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G4EBT > POEM 26.09.09 11:33l 94 Lines 3819 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : E01269G4EBT
Read: GUEST
Subj: "Tommy" (Kipling)
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FOR<DB0SIF<HB9EAS<DB0LHR<DB0GE<DB0LJ<DB0RES<IK2XDE<ON4HU<
ON0BEL<GB7FCR
Sent: 090926/0832Z @:GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU #:32448 [Blackpool] FBB-7.03a $:E01269G4
From: G4EBT@GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU
To : POEM@WW
TOMMY
by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!
More than a ring of truth about it.
Not much has changed in nearly 100 years.
We have a government which has been rocked by widespread fiddling and
manipulation of expenses by MPs, which the gov't tried to cover up, yet
which provides scant support for re-setllement of soldiers returning to
civvie street trying to cope with PTSD, alcohol abuse and anger
management.
Also, trying to slash their compensation for grave injuries including
blidness, limb amputations and brain damage - paying out more for an
RAF typist with repetitive strain injury than to gravely wounded amputees.
Blair brought in a law that landed a lady peace campaigner in court for
simply reading out the names of dead soldiers at the London cenotaph who'd
died in Iraq to commemorate their sacrifice.
Hardly a crime in most people's eyes, but it was to Blair.
Weeks later, there he is at the Cenotaph himself on 11/11 hanging his head
in shame, speechifying about the courage of the fallen. Sure - "forward!"
he cried from the rear, as the front men fell in battle.
Give the soldiers their due - take it out of MPs expenses.
Best wishes
David, G4EBT @ GB7FCR
Cottingham, East Yorkshire.
Message timed: 09:14 on 2009-Sep-26
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