Sir Henry Newbolt (1862--1938) was an English poet. He is best remembered for Vitai Lampada.He was born on on 6 June 1862 in Bilston, Wolverhampton, then in Staffordshire, but now in the West Midla...
Sir Henry Newbolt (1862--1938) was an English poet. He is best remembered for Vitai Lampada.He was born on on 6 June 1862 in Bilston, Wolverhampton, then in Staffordshire, but now in the West Midlands, the son of the vicar of St Mary's Church, Rev. Henry Francis Newbolt.
Vitaï Lampada
Clifton College CloseProbably the best known of all Newbolt's poems and the one for which he is now chiefly remembered is Vitaï Lampada. It refers to how a future soldier learns stoicism in cricket matches in the famous Close at Clifton College:
Kind Regards
Jim Clark All rights are reserved on this video sound recording copyright Jim Clark 2008
There's a breathless hush in the Close to-night Ten to make and the match to win A bumping pitch and a blinding light, An hour to play, and the last man in. And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat. Or the selfish hope of a season's fame, But his captain's hand on his shoulder smote "Play up! Play up! And play the game!" The sand of the desert is sodden red- Red with the wreck of the square that broke The gatling's jammed and the colonel dead, And the regiment blind with dust and smoke. The river of death has brimmed its banks, And England's far, and Honour a name, But the voice of a schoolboy rallies the ranks- "Play up! Play up! And play the game!" This is the word that year by year, While in her place the school is set, Every one of her sons must hear, And none that hears it dare forget. This they all with a joyful mind Bear through life like a torch in flame, And falling fling to the host behind - "Play up! Play up! And play the game!" The poem was both highly regarded and repeatedly satirised by those who experienced World War I.
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It's not quite about WW1 then. Still, a great poem : )