Analysis of The Young British Soldier
When the 'arf-made recruity goes out to the East
'E acts like a babe an' 'e drinks like a beast,
An' 'e wonders because 'e is frequent deceased
Ere 'e's fit for to serve as a soldier.
Serve, serve, serve as a soldier,
Serve, serve, serve as a soldier,
Serve, serve, serve as a soldier,
So-oldier ~OF~ the Queen!
Now all you recruities what's drafted to-day,
You shut up your rag-box an' 'ark to my lay,
An' I'll sing you a soldier as far as I may:
A soldier what's fit for a soldier.
Fit, fit, fit for a soldier . . .
First mind you steer clear o' the grog-sellers' huts,
For they sell you Fixed Bay'nets that rots out your guts --
Ay, drink that 'ud eat the live steel from your butts --
An' it's bad for the young British soldier.
Bad, bad, bad for the soldier . . .
When the cholera comes -- as it will past a doubt --
Keep out of the wet and don't go on the shout,
For the sickness gets in as the liquor dies out,
An' it crumples the young British soldier.
Crum-, crum-, crumples the soldier . . .
But the worst o' your foes is the sun over'ead:
You ~must~ wear your 'elmet for all that is said:
If 'e finds you uncovered 'e'll knock you down dead,
An' you'll die like a fool of a soldier.
Fool, fool, fool of a soldier . . .
If you're cast for fatigue by a sergeant unkind,
Don't grouse like a woman nor crack on nor blind;
Be handy and civil, and then you will find
That it's beer for the young British soldier.
Beer, beer, beer for the soldier . . .
Now, if you must marry, take care she is old --
A troop-sergeant's widow's the nicest I'm told,
For beauty won't help if your rations is cold,
Nor love ain't enough for a soldier.
'Nough, 'nough, 'nough for a soldier . . .
If the wife should go wrong with a comrade, be loath
To shoot when you catch 'em -- you'll swing, on my oath! --
Make 'im take 'er and keep 'er: that's Hell for them both,
An' you're shut o' the curse of a soldier.
Curse, curse, curse of a soldier . . .
When first under fire an' you're wishful to duck,
Don't look nor take 'eed at the man that is struck,
Be thankful you're livin', and trust to your luck
And march to your front like a soldier.
Front, front, front like a soldier . . .
When 'arf of your bullets fly wide in the ditch,
Don't call your Martini a cross-eyed old bitch;
She's human as you are -- you treat her as sich,
An' she'll fight for the young British soldier.
Fight, fight, fight for the soldier . . .
When shakin' their bustles like ladies so fine,
The guns o' the enemy wheel into line,
Shoot low at the limbers an' don't mind the shine,
For noise never startles the soldier.
Start-, start-, startles the soldier . . .
If your officer's dead and the sergeants look white,
Remember it's ruin to run from a fight:
So take open order, lie down, and sit tight,
And wait for supports like a soldier.
Wait, wait, wait like a soldier . . .
When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier.
Go, go, go like a soldier,
Go, go, go like a soldier,
Go, go, go like a soldier,
So-oldier ~of~ the Queen!
Scheme | aaabBBBC dddbb eeebb fffbb aggbb hhhbb iiibb jjjbb kkkbb lllbb mmmbb nnnbb ooobBBBC |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1011111101 11101111101 111001111001 1111111010 1111010 1111010 1111010 11101 111111011 11111111111 111101011111 010111010 1111010 11111101101 111111111111 11111011111 1111011010 1111010 101001111101 11101011101 101010101011 111011010 111010 1011111011 1111111111 111101011111 1111011010 1111010 111101101001 11101011111 11001001111 1111011010 1111010 11111011111 0111001011 11011111011 111011010 1111010 10111110111 11111111111 111001011111 1111011010 1111010 111010111011 11111101111 1101101111 011111010 1111010 11111011001 11101001111 11011111011 1111011010 1111010 111111011 01101001011 11101011101 111010010 1110010 111001001011 01011011101 11101011011 011011010 1111010 11100110101 001011111101 11111001111 111111010 1111010 1111010 1111010 11101 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 3,238 |
Words | 592 |
Sentences | 50 |
Stanzas | 13 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 8 |
Lines Amount | 71 |
Letters per line (avg) | 32 |
Words per line (avg) | 9 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 175 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 48 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on May 03, 2023
- 3:07 min read
- 7,319 Views
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"The Young British Soldier" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/33613/the-young-british-soldier>.
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