Friday, May 18, 2007

 

Trumpeter

This post is a little strange, but it's something that has been in my head since I first heard Roberts solo "The Trumpeter." For those unfortunate few of you who did not get to hear him perform it, here are the lyrics, as he gave them to me.

Trumpeter, what are you sounding now?
Is it the call I'm Seeking?
You'll know my call, said the trumpeter tall,
When my trumpet goes a speakin'
I'm rousin’ ‘em up! I'm waking ‘em up.
The tents are a stir in the valley
And there’s no more sleep with the sun’s first peep,
For I'm sounding the old Reveille
Rise up, said the trumpeter tall

Trumpeter, what are you sounding now
Is it the call I'm seeking?
Can’t mistake the call, said the trumpeter tall,
When my trumpet goes a speaking.
I’m urgin’ ‘em on, they're scamperin' on,
There’s a drumming of hoofs like thunder
There’s a mad'ning shout as the sabres flash out
For I’m sounding the charge, no wonder.
And it’s hell, said the trumpeter tall

Trumpeter, what are you sounding now?
Is it the call I'm seeking?
Lucky for you, if you hear it at all,
For my trumpet's but faintly speakin'
I'm callin' 'em home,
Come home, come home
Tread light o'er the dead in the valley,
Who are lyin' around, face down to the ground
And they can't hear me sound the rally.

But they'll hear it again in a glad refrain,
When Gabriel sounds the last rally.
But they'll hear it again in a glad refrain,
When Gabriel sounds the last rally.


A very nice song, and it was great to hear him sing it, but what struck me is the similarity between the song and one of my favorite pieces of narrative poetry "The Charge of the Light Brigade." For those of you who don't know Alfred, Lord Tennyson's works that well, here it is.

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 soldier knew
Some one had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do & 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 & 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 turn'd 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 & Russian
Reel'd from the sabre-stroke,
Shatter'd & 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 & 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!

Perhaps you don't care for it, but this is my blog. You will notice right away some of the simple similarities: both are about cavalry units, both units fail in an attack, and they even have the same setting, a valley. That might be enough to make them close relatives, so to speak, but there is more. One of the things that first caught my attention to the similarities was the use of the word 'sabre,' especially in tandem with flash. That's a little close to just be a coincidence. Also, both works specifically use the word 'charge.' This is where it starts to get a little iffy; there are words that show up in both, that wouldn't necessarily have to. These words are: Thunder, Wonder, and Hell (or variations of the verbs). Thunder and wonder are used differently, but I was taught in American Lit that writers tend to do these things deliberately. My favorite of the three is Hell, because it's practically just thrown in there. It doesn't add a lot to the song, but it does draw the connection between the two works a little darker. My Point is made, my English nerding is done.
Mr. Baures would be proud.

For those of you who managed to hang on through that, there a couple things about me I'm going to add, just to brighten your day. (Don't worry, my head isn't really that big) I joined a play at RCT, the performances are in two weeks, everyone is welcome. Alisha just turned 16, there was a nice bonfire at her house, and I got to eat out with her family. Finally, I just would like to add that I got a 35 on my ACT (yay).

Sunday, May 06, 2007

 

Promenade

A quick post before I get pictures. Yesterday was Prom. Alisha got all prettied up, I put on a tux, and we took about a million pictures. I got to use my dad's '66 Bonneville, which is a fun car to drive. So I rolled up to Alisha's with the car,ring the doorbell, and get ambushed with a camera. After a couple minutes, we went to leave, and the car wouldn't start. We had to get it jumped. That was very embarrassing. In the name of keeping this post brief: Visit grandparents, pictures at Eyota, Red Lobster and a wedding party took up the next 4 hours. After that it was Grand March, and the dance In my opinion, the dance was kinda cheesy. It was like any other school dance, except I was wearing 4 layers. After the dance was post prom, Alisha and I won a TV. Then, most of the monkeys crashed at Hayley's for a few hours of sleep.
I'll post more with pictures

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