Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892)

The Charge of the Light Brigade 1855

1

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

“Forward, the Light Brigade! 5

Charge for the guns!” he said:

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

2

“Forward, the Light Brigade!”

Was there a man dismayed? 10

Not though the soldier knew

Some one had blundered:

Their’s not to make reply,

Their’s not to reason why,

Their’s but to do and die: 15

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

3

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon in front of them 20

Volleyed and thundered;

Stormed at with shot and shell,

Boldly they rode and well,

Into the jaws of Death,

Into the mouth of Hell 25

Rode the six hundred.

4

Flashed all their sabers bare,

Flashed as they turned in air

Sabring the gunners there,

Charging an army, while 30

All the world wondered:

Plunged in the battery-smoke

Right through the line they broke;

Cossack and Russian

Reeled from the saber-stroke 35

Shattered and sundered.

Then they rode back, but not

Not the six hundred.

5

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them, 40

Cannon behind them

Volleyed and thundered;

Stormed at with shot and shell,

While horse and hero fell,

They that had fought so well 45

Came through the jaws of Death,

Back from the mouth of Hell,

All that was left of them,

Left of six hundred.

6

When can their glory fade? 50

O the wild charge they made!

All the world wondered.

Honor the charge they made!

Honor the Light Brigade,

Noble six hundred! 55