The Charge of the Festival maker
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the streets of Sydenham
Rode the six hundred.
`Forward, the Festival Makers!
Smile for the cameras!' he said:
Into the streets of Sydenham
Rode the six hundred.
`Forward, the Festival Makers!'
Was there a woman dismay'd?
Not tho' the Marketing Manager knew
not one had blunder'd:
Their's not to make reply,
Their's not to reason why,
Their's but to do and distribute:
Into the streets of Sydenham
Rode the six hundred.
Doors to right of them,
Doors to left of them,
Doors in front of them
Smiling and undeterred;
Storm'd at with questions and queries,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the streets of Sydenham,
Into the doorways of wonder
Rode the six hundred.
Flash'd all their leaflets bare,
Flash'd as they flourished in air
Posting the letterboxes there,
Chatting and smiling, while
All Sydenham wonder'd:
Plunged in the pathways
Right thro' the bushes they broke;
we hope not
Reel'd from the sun and the pavements
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, all who went out
Yes the six hundred.
Doors to right of them,
Doors to left of them,
Doors behind them
Smiling and undeterred;
Storm'd at with questions and queries,
With stories of wonder to tell,
They that had distributed so well
Came thro' the streets of Sydenham,
Back from the doorways of citizens,
All that was the best of them,
The Festival Makers.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honour the time and energy they gave!
Honour the Festival Makers,
Noble six hundred!
Charge of the Festival Maker
What Alfred Lord Tennyson would have written
We need you in the run up to the Festival, right now, if you can give time this Sunday, at our market stall, and or distributing leaflets to the good people of Sydenham and Forest Hill please drop our marketing manager a message for full details. devaki@sydenhamartsfestival.co.uk
Come you Brave Festival Makers - join our ranks and show the world that Sydenham will have an Arts festival to end all Arts Festivals...... (until next year..)