Rudyard Kipling "Danny Deever "

"Danny Deever" is an 1890 poem by Rudyard Kipling, one of the first of the Barrack-Room Ballads. It received wide critical and popular acclaim, and is often regarded as one of the most significant pieces of Kipling's early verse. The poem, a ballad, describes the execution of a British soldier in India for murder. His execution is viewed by his regiment, paraded to watch it, and the poem is composed of the comments they exchange as they see him hanged. It is immediately noticeable that the poem is written in a vernacular English. Though the Barrack-Room Ballads have made this appear a common feature of Kipling's work, at the time it was quite unusual; this was the first of his published works to be written in the voice of the common soldier. The speech is not a direct representation of any single dialect, but it serves to give a very clear effect of a working class English voice of the period



Joseph Rudyard Kipling (30 December 1865 18 January 1936) was an English author and poet. Born in Bombay, British India (now Mumbai), he is best known for his works The Jungle Book (1894) and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (1902), his novel, Kim (1901); his poems, including Mandalay (1890), Gunga Din (1890), If— (1910); and his many short stories, including The Man Who Would Be King (1888). He is regarded as a major "innovator in the art of the short story";[2] his children's books are enduring classics of children's literature; and his best works speak to a versatile and luminous narrative gift.[3][4] Kipling was one of the most popular writers in English, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Kind Regards

Jim Clark
All rights are rsserved on this video recording copyright Jim Clark 2008


Danny Deever.................................

What are the bugles blowin for?' said Files-on-Parade.
To turn you out, to turn you out, the Colour-Sergeant said.
What makes you look so white, so white? said Files-on-Parade.
Im dreadin what Ive got to watch, the Colour-Sergeant said. For theyre hangin Danny Deever, you can hear the Dead March play, The Regiments in ollow square—theyre hangin him to-day; Theyve taken of his buttons off an cut his stripes away, An they're hangin Danny Deever in the mornin.


What makes the rear-rank breathe so ard? said Files-on-Parade.
Its bitter cold, it's bitter cold, the Colour-Sergeant said.
What makes that front-rank man fall down? said Files-on-Parade.
A touch o sun, a touch o sun, the Colour-Sergeant said. They are hangin Danny Deever, they are marchin of im round, They ave alted Danny Deever by is coffin on the ground; An ell swing in arf a minute for a sneakin shootin hound— O theyre hangin Danny Deever in the mornin!


Is cot was right-and cot to mine, said Files-on-Parade.
Es sleepin out an far to-night, the Colour-Sergeant said.
Ive drunk is beer a score o times, said Files-on-Parade.
Es drinkin bitter beer alone, the Colour-Sergeant said. They are hangin Danny Deever, you must mark im to is place, For e shot a comrade sleepin—you must look im in the face; Nine undred of is county an the Regiments disgrace, While theyre hangin Danny Deever in the mornin.


Whats that so black agin the sun? said Files-on-Parade.
Its Danny fightin ard for life, the Colour-Sergeant said.
Whats that that whimpers overead? said Files-on-Parade.
Its Dannys soul thats passin now, the Colour-Sergeant said. For theyre done with Danny Deever, you can ear the quickstep play, The Regiments in column, an theyre marchin us away; Ho! the young recruits are shakin, an theyll want their beer to-day, After hangin Danny Deever in the mornin!