Robert Vernède
Lad, with the merry smile and the eyes
Quick as a hawk’s and clear as the day,
You, who have counted the game the prize,
Here is the game of games to play.
Never a goal — the captains say —
Matches the one that’s needed now:
Put the old blazer and cap away —
England’s colours await your brow.
Man, with the square-set jaws and chin,
Always, it seems, you have moved to your end
Sure of yourself, intent to win
Fame and wealth and the power to bend —
All that you’ve made you’re called to spend,
All that you’ve sought you’re asked to miss —
What’s ambition compared with this
That a man lay down his life for his friend?
Dreamer, oft in your glancing mind
Brave with drinking the faerie brew,
You have smitten the ogres blind
When the fair Princess cried out to you.
Dreamer, what if your dreams are true?
Yonder’s a bayonet, magical, since
Him whom it strikes, the blade sinks through —
Take it and strike for England, Prince!
Friend with the face so hard and worn,
The Devil and you have sometime met,
And now you curse the day you were born,
And want one boon of God — to forget.
Ah, but I know, and yet — and yet —
I think, out there in the shrapnel spray,
You shall stand up and not regret
The Life that gave so splendid a day.
Lover of ease, you’ve lolled and forgot
All the things that you meant to right;
Life has been soft for you, has it not?
What offer does England make to-night?
This — to toil and to march and to fight
As never you’ve dreamed since your life began;
This — to carry the steel-swept height,
This — to know that you’ve played the man!
Brothers, brothers, the time is short,
Nor soon again shall it so betide
That a man may pass from the common sort
Sudden and stand by the heroes’ side.
Are there some that being named yet bide? —
Hark once more to the clarion call —
Sounded by him who deathless died —
“This day England expects you all.”
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Analysis (AI Assisted)
This poem calls its readers to action, focusing on the idea of duty, sacrifice, and the personal choices that define a man’s character, especially in times of war. The speaker addresses several types of individuals—youths, men, dreamers, friends, lovers of ease—each representing different attitudes towards life and ambition. Through these addresses, the poem explores the internal conflict faced by those who must leave their former lives behind to serve a greater cause.
The opening stanzas focus on a youth with a bright future ahead, full of ambition and the energy to pursue it. However, the poem swiftly shifts tone, urging this youthful idealism to be set aside in favor of something greater: the duty to serve England. The call is framed as an unmatchable opportunity, one that transcends individual ambitions or personal desires. The reference to “England’s colours” emphasizes the national cause and the expectation that one must give up their past goals to fulfill a higher purpose.
As the poem progresses, the tone becomes more inclusive, moving from the naive enthusiasm of the young to the hardened resolve of the older, more experienced man. The soldier who has faced hardship and loss is asked to lay aside regret and embrace the sacrifice, which, while painful, carries a deeper sense of honor. In this, the poem illustrates the contrast between the superficial goals of wealth and fame and the more profound honor of sacrificing oneself for one’s comrades and country.
The poem also addresses the dreamer, who is urged to put aside fantasies and face the grim reality of war, symbolized by the bayonet. This is followed by the call to the friend who has lost faith in life, offering the potential for redemption and glory through sacrifice. The lover of ease is also called upon to embrace the difficult and unfamiliar, replacing comfort with courage in service to England.
The poem culminates with a collective call to action, addressing “brothers” and urging them to stand together in service to their country, invoking the famous phrase “England expects that every man will do his duty.” The final lines of the poem encapsulate the urgency of the moment and the gravity of the choice to take part in something greater than oneself.
Overall, the poem serves as a patriotic call to arms, urging individuals from all walks of life to embrace the duty of sacrifice for a greater cause. It explores themes of duty, redemption, and the transition from personal ambitions to collective responsibility. The speaker invites all to join in the fight, portraying the war effort as a noble and defining experience that can elevate ordinary men to the ranks of heroes. Through its rhythmic structure and varied tones, the poem effectively communicates the emotional and moral complexities of war, urging readers to rise above themselves in service of something larger.