# Tap o‘ the Drum



## jrhume (29 Jan 2004)

*Tap o' the Drum*

Drums roll an' thunder,
my troop forms in the yard.
Blood red dawn marches in -
in with the Corporal an' guard.

All stand fast at the tap o' the drum,
I march to the halter an' hangman.
Nine years a soldier, stripes torn away.
I bayoneted the Captain!

I'll hang for that death without regret,
for I caught him with Sally 'o mine.
Half blind with rage, I stabbed the man twice,
an' killed her as she wept for the swine!

A steady tap o' the drum draws me on,
I march to the gallows an' hangman.
Nine years a soldier, stripes torn away,
I bayoneted the Captain!


© JR Hume, February, 2002 

This one was an attempt to write a poem in the style of Rudyard Kipling, whose military poetry is still well worth reading.


----------



## Danjanou (29 Jan 2004)

That‘s good. Almost reads like the lyrics to some period folk song.


----------



## Mike Bobbitt (5 Feb 2004)

Just reading this now... Great stuff. Danjanou‘s right, it sounds like it should be an old marching tune or the like...

Thanks for posting it.


----------



## mattoigta (5 Feb 2004)

> Originally posted by Danjanou:
> [qb] That‘s good. Almost reads like the lyrics to some period folk song. [/qb]


Yeah I read it like that too, in the style that the Pogues play "The Recruiting Sergeant"

It‘s all really great stuff I read from you, do you have a website or anything?


----------



## jrhume (6 Feb 2004)

Thanks for the good comments.

My website is: www.jrhume.com

The work there needs updating.  I‘ll try to do that within the next few weeks.

 
Jim


----------

