Thursday, July 07, 2005

England Forever! Condolences and Solidarity

"Together"
England at War

Where Horse and Rider each can trust the other everywhere,
It takes a fence and more than a fence to pound that happy pair;
For the one will do what the other demands, although he is beaten
and blown,
And when it is done, they can live through a run that neither
could face alone.

When Crew and Captain understand each other to the core,
It takes a gale and more than a gale to put their ship ashore,
For the one will do what the other commands, although they;
chilled to the bone,
And both together can live through weather that neither could
face alone.
When King and People understand each other past a doubt,
It takes a foe and more than a foe to knock that country out;
For the one will do what the other required as soon as the need
is shown;
And hand in hand they can make a stand which neither could
make alone!

This wisdom had Elizabeth and all her subjects too,
For she was theirs and they were hers, as well the Spaniard knew;
For when his grim Armada came to conquer the Nation and
Throne,
Why, back to back they met an attack that neither could face
alone!

It is nor wealth, nor talk, nor trade, nor schools, nor even the
Vote,
Will save your land when the enemy's hand is tightening round
your throat.
But a King and a People who thoroughly trust each other in all
that is done
Can sleep on their bed without any dread--for the world will
leave 'em alone!

-Rudyard Kipling

And we, your rebellious cousins across the pond, stand with you.

A report from a blogger that was on a train and then bus near by:

Heading home on the Bakerloo, two stations past Edgware Road. The train stops, half in and half out of the tunnel, and no-one looks up. After a minute or two, the driver tells us he has 'absolutely no idea' why the train is has been stopped, but it has. Five minutes later, in an attempt to assuage or perhaps entertain, the driver tells us that when all trains are instructed to stop where they are it's called a code amber. I amuse myself by inventing emergency train actions for all other possible colour codes when two men wearing London Underground caps at jaunty angles appear by my elbow announcing that the entire tube network is suspended and usher people down through the train and up towards the exit. Tube employees are gathered outside in little huddles of blue, gesticulating upwards.




2 comments:

  1. He is an awesome poet. Great post. My prayers are with the Brits.

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  2. Nice series of posts, Kat. My thoughts and prayers are with the Brits.

    But I know they're made of strong stuff, and that they'll come through.

    Did you see Rumsfeld's statement on the attack? It's great. In part:

    "But if these terrorists thought they could intimidate the people of a great nation, they picked the wrong people and the wrong nation. For generations, tyrants, fascists, and terrorists have sought to carry out their violent designs upon the British people only to founder upon its unrelenting shores.

    Before long, I suspect that those responsible for these acts will encounter British steel. Their kind of steel has an uncommon strength. It does not bend or break."


    Indeed.

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