Reconstruct the poem by dragging each line into its correct position. You can also use the up (↑) and down (↓) arrows to move a line one place at a time, or the top (⇑) and bottom (⇓) arrows to move a line directly to the top or bottom. Your goal is to reassemble the original poem as accurately as possible. As you move the lines, you'll see whether your arrangement is correct, helping you explore the poem's flow and meaning. You can also print out the jumbled poem to cut up and reassemble in the classroom. Either way, take your time, enjoy the process, and discover how the poet's words come together to create something truly beautiful.
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While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
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You've successfully reconstructed the poem! Your understanding of poetry and attention to detail is impressive.
I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer, The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here." The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die, I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I: O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away"; But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play, The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play, O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be, They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me; They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls, But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls! For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside"; But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide, The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide, O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap; An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit. Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?" But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll, The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll, O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too, But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you; An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints, Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints; While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind", But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind, There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind, O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all: We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational. Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace. For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!" But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot; An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please; An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!