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.
鈥淔orward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!鈥 he said;
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
II
鈥淔orward, the Light Brigade!鈥
Was there a man dismay鈥檇?
Not tho鈥 the soldier knew
Some one had blunder鈥檇:
Their's not to make reply,
Their's not to reason why,
Their's 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
Volley鈥檇 and thunder鈥檇;
Storm鈥檇 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
Flash鈥檇 all their sabres bare,
Flash鈥檇 as they turn鈥檇 in air,
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder鈥檇:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro鈥 the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel鈥檇 from the sabre-stroke
Shatter鈥檇 and sunder鈥檇.
Then they rode back, but not,
Not the six hundred.
V
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley鈥檇 and thunder鈥檇;
Storm鈥檇 at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro鈥 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 wonder鈥檇.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!