Tommy

Killing.org ^ | Runyard Kipling

[Marie]

Just a little reminder... this is how it always goes.

As soon as the war is over, the soldiers are thrown under the bus.

[Marie]

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!

[Marie]

I give up I suck at HTML.

[1rudeboy]

This time, with formatting.

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!

[Marie]

You rock and it was worth your time.

Thank you so much.

[Textide]

Great poem!

I found a nice youtube video of this one and posted it on 11/11.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LufVNBy587k

120 years since publishing...

[jazusamo]

Thank you, both!

[CrazyIvan]

Thanks, one of my all time favorites.

[1rudeboy]

A Son

My son was killed while laughing at some jest. I would I knew
What it was, and it might serve me in a time when jests are few.

[Always A Marine]

I’m sure it’s just a typo, but Kipling’s name was Rudyard (not Runyard). Thank you for posting one of his best poems.

[Marie]

I rarely post and, when I do, I’m usually very careful.

I guess I was just so fired up that I screwed up.

My apologies to FReepers and Mr. Kipling.

(I suck today. Hope y’all get the message and intent.)

[OldCorps]

Well, this Tommy sees the Repubs going along with cutting our retirement benefits. I'm sick of you Ryan and Boenher! I'm sick of go along to get along maggot congressmen saying "We're here to support our troops,..." but then cut our retirement and medical coverage down the road, after we've grown old, survived the various wars and constant deployments and are now long in the tooth and our bodies don't work as well as they once did.

Have they cut their retirement? Have they cut their own healthcare coverage?

My knees and other joints are arthretic...I carried a heavy rucksack, ran on pavement constantly with combat boots, and did a few parachute jumps.

Is it too much to ask the US government to honor its pledge to us retirees to pay our retirement without nickel and diming us constantly? They can't find the money? I suggest welfare programs and foreign aid as a start.

Establishment republicans make me sick. You are worthless liars; I'm done with the lot of you!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Prayers up.
Maybe we can it back...

[tomkat]

I give up I suck at HTML

Ya done just fine, and we salute you !

[ought-six]

Kipling’s son John was a young lieutenant in WWI, and was killed in action in his first fight. His body was not identified until years later, long after Rudyard Kipling had died.

Rudyard Kipling had pulled some strings so John could get a commission. Kipling never really recovered from John’s death.

[clintonh8r]

"Do you like Kipling?"

"I don't know. I've never kippled."

Seriously, he was one of the greats, and lived an extrordinary life. Whenever I read Tommy I "hear" it in Ray Winstone's voice.

[Tainan]

An 'Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!

Bloody right 'es not....we vote...and organize.

[BwanaNdege]

I post this every few months as a comment to some deplorable liberal idea to cheat the veterans.

Kipling was a tremendous observer and writer! He REALLY understood!

” An ‘Tommy ain’t a bloomin’ fool - you bet that Tommy sees!”

USMC Lima 3/26, 1968-69 RVN

[onona]

ya. me likey

[dayglored]

A most sincere and heartfelt THANK YOU for your service, Sir.

It is a horribly shameful thing that our government treats our veterans so poorly, while doling out ever greater benefits to those who have done nothing and wouldn't if asked.

Prayers up that your arthritis improves rather than worsens, and that in the future your joints may carry you with strength and pride, as they no doubt did in your youth.

Again, Sir, my thanks to you. Best FRegards, dayglored.