Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 19th century poet laureate (UK), carries the day (figuratively-speaking) in the 21st century award-winning film, The Blind Side.
It's my favorite scene in the movie.
Sean Tuohy hops up from the sofa where he's watching television and bursts into poetic recitation. The moment is pivotal because the verses provide Michael Ohr with the inspiration he needs to take the next step on his road to success.
His tutor is thrilled as well.
We can all relate.
Now for the rest of the story.....
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
'Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns' he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
'Forward, the Light Brigade!'
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldiers knew
Some one had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.
Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army while
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre-stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!
Share some poetry today.
I guess I need to see that movie, I've heard so many good things about.
ReplyDeleteMy 9yos is memorizing The Charge of the Light Brigade. We're having to work on enunciation -- he gets going too fast and runs words together so you can't tell what he's saying. It reminds me of an article I read about Mondegreens, where the author said she was always in awe of the wild battle cry from Light Brigade: "Haffily Gaffily Gaffily Gonward!"
LOL