Saint Crispin's Day...This Day

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 8:49pm

The speech delivered by Henry V of England before the Battle of Agincourt in William Shakespeare's Henry V; Act IV, Scene 3:

"This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day"

Henry V:-

The random thoughts of a man inspired by the above words and several interviews with veterans from the Second World War. This Day:


They say we've come upon the end of days;
That all we've known and bled and fought for,
Shall wither and die before the coming storm.
Often I have wished that the burden of our times,
Had passed to another; for were I a better man,
I would not despair at the loss of all I cherish.
And yet the task has fallen to us my brothers; for on this day...
On this day of days, we shall stand against the tide.
We will hold the line and cry out: No more!
For though we dare not hold the hope of victory for ourselves;
Our deeds will light us down into the annals of eternity.
The wind itself will bear the tale to all the corners of the world;
And like a fire given life shall the lips of thousands pass;
The story of the choice we made here this day.
Until rekindled will the dream of yesteryear be;
And the shadows' veil be lifted from their eyes.
Remember well these words: Take heart! For sacrifice,
Though heavily undertaken, is neither vain nor folly my brothers.
Born from the ashes of this day so unremarked;
The foundation of a better tomorrow shall we lay.
We have fought together through insurmountable odds;
The bond we share can never be broken; never be corrupted.
You have followed me into darkness; you have followed me into fire;
Now follow me, my brothers, on this day...into history.