Vitai+Lampada

Vitai Lampada

[|Biography Henry Newbolt]

('They Pass on the Torch of Life')

There's a breathless hush in the Close to-night -

Ten to make and the match to win -

A bumping pitch and a blinding light,

An hour to play and the last man in.

And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat,

Or the selfish hope of a season's fame,

But his Captain's hand on his shoulder smote -

 ' Play up! play up! and play the game!'

The sand of the desert is sodden red, -

Red with the wreck of a square that broke; -

The Gatling's jammed and the colonel dead,

And the regiment blind with dust and smoke.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">The river of death has brimmed his banks,

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">And England's far, and Honour a name,

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">But the voice of schoolboy rallies the ranks:

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> ' Play up! play up! and play the game!'

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">This is the word that year by year,

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">While in her place the School is set,

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Every one of her sons must hear,

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">And none that hears it dare forget.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">This they all with a joyful mind

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Bear through life like a torch in flame,

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">And falling fling to the host behind -

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> ' Play up! play up! and play the game!'

to hit or strike down || a Gatling gun was the first rapid-firing gun || //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Poem sourced from: // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]
 * //<span style="color: #010000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS','sans-serif'; font-size: 19px;">Henry Newbolt 1897 //**
 * **smote**
 * **Gatling**

//<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Photo sourced from: //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]