"Half a league, half a league,"
"Half a league onward,"
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"`Forward, the Light Brigade! "
Charge for the guns!' he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"`Forward, the Light Brigade!' "
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Some one had blunder'd:
"Their's not to make reply, "
"Their's not to reason why, "
Their's but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"Cannon to right of them, "
"Cannon to left of them, "
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
"Storm'd at with shot and shell, "
"Boldly they rode and well, "
"Into the jaws of Death, "
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.
"Flash'd all their sabres bare, "
Flash'd as they turn'd in air
"Sabring the gunners there, "
"Charging an army, while"
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre-stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
"Then they rode back, but not"
Not the six hundred.
"Cannon to right of them, "
"Cannon to left of them, "
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
"Storm'd at with shot and shell, "
"While horse and hero fell, "
They that had fought so well
"Came thro' the jaws of Death, "
"Back from the mouth of Hell, "
"All that was left of them, "
Left of six hundred.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honour the charge they made!
"Honour the Light Brigade, "
Noble six hundred!