greatpoetry | "Tommy", by Rudyard Kipling (Reply)

"I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o'beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no redcoats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again, an' to myself sez I:
O, it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy go away"
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O, it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play.

I went into a theater as sober as could be,'
They give a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! They'll shove me in the stalls.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins," when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, etc.

O, Makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken sodgers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' TOmmy that, an "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll
The drums begin to roll, my boys, etc

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints.
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an "Tommy fall be'ind";
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, etc.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all"
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face,,
The Widow's uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "CHuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Savior of 'is country" where the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy aint' a bloomin' fool-you bet that Tommy sees!