The Charge of the City Council
With apologies to Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)
Half a mile, half a mile,
Half a mile onward,
All in the valley of Water
Rode the City Council.
“Forward , the City Council!
Charge for the water!” they said:
Into the valley of Water
Rode the City Council.
“Forward, the City Council!”
Was there a person dismayed?
Not tho’ the councilors knew
Someone had blundered:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Water,
Rode the City Council
Critics to the right of them,
Critics to the left of them,
Critics in front of them
Volleyed and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
Boldly they decided and well,
Into the jaws of votes,
Into the mouth of Sell,
Rode the City Council
Flashed all their charts bare,
Flashed as they turned in air,
Sab’ring the critics there,
Charging an army, while
All the city wondered:
Plunged in the figures smoke,
Right through the numbers they broke;
Friend and foe,
Reeled from the numbers-stroke
Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back, but not—
Not the City Council.
Critics to the right of them,
Critics to the left of them,
Critics behind them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While mayor and councilors fell,
That they fought so well
Came through the jaws of voting death,
Back from the mouth of Sell,
All that was left of them,
Left of the City Council.
When can their glory fade?
Oh, the wild charge they made!
All the city wondered.
Honor the charge they made!
Honor the City Council,
Noble seven councilors!
Half a mile, half a mile,
Half a mile onward,
All in the valley of Water
Rode the City Council.
“Forward , the City Council!
Charge for the water!” they said:
Into the valley of Water
Rode the City Council.
“Forward, the City Council!”
Was there a person dismayed?
Not tho’ the councilors knew
Someone had blundered:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Water,
Rode the City Council
Critics to the right of them,
Critics to the left of them,
Critics in front of them
Volleyed and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
Boldly they decided and well,
Into the jaws of votes,
Into the mouth of Sell,
Rode the City Council
Flashed all their charts bare,
Flashed as they turned in air,
Sab’ring the critics there,
Charging an army, while
All the city wondered:
Plunged in the figures smoke,
Right through the numbers they broke;
Friend and foe,
Reeled from the numbers-stroke
Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back, but not—
Not the City Council.
Critics to the right of them,
Critics to the left of them,
Critics behind them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While mayor and councilors fell,
That they fought so well
Came through the jaws of voting death,
Back from the mouth of Sell,
All that was left of them,
Left of the City Council.
When can their glory fade?
Oh, the wild charge they made!
All the city wondered.
Honor the charge they made!
Honor the City Council,
Noble seven councilors!
