by Alfred Edward Housman (1859 - 1936)
Far I hear the bugle blow
Language: English
"Far I hear the bugle blow To call me where I would not go, And the guns begin the song, "Soldier, fly or stay for long." "Comrade, if to turn and fly Made a soldier never die, Fly I would, for who would not? 'Tis sure no pleasure to be shot. "But since the man that runs away Lives to die another day, And cowards' funerals, when they come, Are not wept so well at home, "Therefore, though the best is bad, Stand and do the best, my lad; Stand and fight and see your slain, And take the bullet in your brain."
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by Alfred Edward Housman (1859 - 1936), "The day of battle", appears in A Shropshire Lad, no. 56, first published 1896 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by John Ramsden Williamson (1929 - 2015), "The day of battle - Far I hear the bugle blow" [baritone and piano] [text not verified]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-12-12
Line count: 16
Word count: 103