Infantry
In Paris Town, in Paris Town — 't was 'neath an April sky —
I saw a regiment of the line go marching to Versailles;
When white along the Bois there shone the chestnut's waxen cells,
And the sun was winking on the long Lebels,
Flic flac, flic flac , on all the long Lebels!
The flowers were out along the Bois, the leaves were overhead,
And I saw a regiment of the line that swung in blue and red;
The youth of things, the joy of things, they made my heart to beat,
And the quick-step lilting and the tramp of feet!
Flic flac, flic flac , the tramping of the feet!
The spiked nuts have fallen and the leaf is dull and dry
Since last I saw a regiment go marching to Versailles;
And what's become of all of those that heard the music play?
They trained them for the Frontier upon an August day;
Flic flac, flic flac , all on an August day!
And some of them they stumbled on the slippery summer grass,
And there they've left them lying with their faces to Alsace;
The others — so they'd tell you — ere the chestnut's decked for Spring,
Shall march beneath some linden trees to call upon a King;
Flic flac, flic flac , to call upon a King.
I saw a regiment of the line go marching to Versailles;
When white along the Bois there shone the chestnut's waxen cells,
And the sun was winking on the long Lebels,
Flic flac, flic flac , on all the long Lebels!
The flowers were out along the Bois, the leaves were overhead,
And I saw a regiment of the line that swung in blue and red;
The youth of things, the joy of things, they made my heart to beat,
And the quick-step lilting and the tramp of feet!
Flic flac, flic flac , the tramping of the feet!
The spiked nuts have fallen and the leaf is dull and dry
Since last I saw a regiment go marching to Versailles;
And what's become of all of those that heard the music play?
They trained them for the Frontier upon an August day;
Flic flac, flic flac , all on an August day!
And some of them they stumbled on the slippery summer grass,
And there they've left them lying with their faces to Alsace;
The others — so they'd tell you — ere the chestnut's decked for Spring,
Shall march beneath some linden trees to call upon a King;
Flic flac, flic flac , to call upon a King.
Translation:
Language:
Reviews
No reviews yet.
Comments
This poem was written by
This poem was written by Patrick Reginald Chalmers in early September 1914 and reflects the optomistic naivety of the opening days of World War I. Popular expectations on both sides were for a short and victorious war. The poem was published in the Illustrated London News a few days after it was completed.
"regiment of the Line": the ordinary infantry of the French Army.
"long Lebels": the standard French rifle of World War I.
"in blue and red": during the early months of the war the French infantry continued to wear their conspicuous peacetime uniforms of kepis, blue coats and red trousers.
"trained them for the Frontier": following mobilisation at the beginning of August, the armies of 1914 were entrained by rail to their various assembly points.
"Alsace": the former French province annexed by Germany following the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. In 1914 the French attempted to recove Alsace and Lorraine but were repulsed with very heavy losses.
"linden trees": a reference to "Unter der Linden" - a broad avenue in central Berlin running from the Brandenbug Gate to the royal palace.
"call upon a king": Kaiser William II
Robert
Report SPAM