In honor of Memorial Day, thanks to those who served!

thank you cyn, from your digger friend

Kipling's 'My Boy Jack' is also a moving poem about the loss of a loved one in war, in this case the 'Jack' being the generic term for a Royal Navy (and RAN) sailor. It is particularly poignant because kipling's own son, just 18, was killed in WWI.

2016_poets corner: skippy1965(Cynthia) original post: 

In honor of those who served here is Rudyard Kipling’s Tommy! Though he writes about British Tommies in particular, his words are applicble to ALL our servicemen!

“Tommy” by Rudyard Kipling

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!