Ford O' Kabul River
Ford O' Kabul River - form Summary
Refrain Anchors a Soldier's Lament
This poem is cast as a ballad: a narrated, chorus-driven military lament. Repeated refrains and a steady stanza pattern create a sing-song, marchlike momentum while the speaker recounts comrades lost crossing the Kabul ford. Colloquial spelling and soldierly commands give the voice an oral, vernacular feel. The recurring lines about the "ford o' Kabul river in the dark" function as a mournful chorus that both fixes the scene and intensifies the speaker's grief and fury.
Read Complete AnalysesKabul town's by Kabul river -- Blow the bugle, draw the sword -- There I lef' my mate for ever, Wet an' drippin' by the ford. Ford, ford, ford o' Kabul river, Ford o' Kabul river in the dark! There's the river up and brimmin', an' there's 'arf a squadron swimmin' 'Cross the ford o' Kabul river in the dark. Kabul town's a blasted place -- Blow the bugle, draw the sword -- 'Strewth I sha'n't forget 'is face Wet an' drippin' by the ford! Ford, ford, ford o' Kabul river, Ford o' Kabul river in the dark! Keep the crossing-stakes beside you, an' they will surely guide you 'Cross the ford o' Kabul river in the dark. Kabul town is sun and dust -- Blow the bugle, draw the sword -- I'd ha' sooner drownded fust 'Stead of 'im beside the ford. Ford, ford, ford o' Kabul river, Ford o' Kabul river in the dark! You can 'ear the 'orses threshin', you can 'ear the men a-splashin', 'Cross the ford o' Kabul river in the dark. Kabul town was ours to take -- Blow the bugle, draw the sword -- I'd ha' left it for 'is sake -- 'Im that left me by the ford. Ford, ford, ford o' Kabul river, Ford o' Kabul river in the dark! It's none so bloomin' dry there; ain't you never comin' nigh there, 'Cross the ford o' Kabul river in the dark? Kabul town'll go to hell -- Blow the bugle, draw the sword -- 'Fore I see him 'live an' well -- 'Im the best beside the ford. Ford, ford, ford o' Kabul river, Ford o' Kabul river in the dark! Gawd 'elp 'em if they blunder, for their boots'll pull 'em under, By the ford o' Kabul river in the dark. Turn your 'orse from Kabul town -- Blow the bugle, draw the sword -- 'Im an' 'arf my troop is down, Down an' drownded by the ford. Ford, ford, ford o' Kabul river, Ford o' Kabul river in the dark! There's the river low an' fallin', but it ain't no use o' callin' 'Cross the ford o' Kabul river in the dark.
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