We Happy Few

[dshpipes]

Today was my day off of work and I found myself feeling a touch bored. Being moved by recent writing contests and a general expression for the love of BoB, I decided to do a little project: rewriting one of my favorite speeches from Shakespeare to be geared towards pipe smoking and this forum.

So now that I've completely bastardized the writing of the Bard for my own purposes, I've decided to share it with all of you. I hope that you enjoy my little project.

This day shall be a day for smoking.
He that smokes his pipe this day, anywhere,
Will stand a tip-toe, whether friend or foe,
And rouse him on a day for smoking.
He that shall smoke his pipe, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil share his baccy,
And say, “To-morrow we shall smoke our pipes.”
Then will he ope’ his pouch and show his pipes,
And say, “These pipes I got on lay-away.”

Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What blends he smoked this day. Then shall those names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words,
McClelland and Pease, and Hearth and Home,
Cornell and Diehl, Wilke and McCranie,
Be in their billowing pipes freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And ne’er a morning shall e’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that smokes his pipe with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And pipeless gentlemen world abound
Shall think themselves accursed they were uncounted,
And hold their manhoods cheap whilst any speaks
Of days amongst the brothers of briar.

 

[Doc Manhattan]

Nice! Your blank verse is pretty darn good.

"Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs." (-R&J, I.i)

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

What book and what speech did you adapt it from? There is no one who can so artfully extend a metaphor as Shakespeare. I liked your adaptation, and I think that is the proper word.

 

[dshpipes]

It's the "St. Crispin's Day" speech from Henry V, one of my absolute favorite Shakespeare plays. The speech is given by King Henry to his men just before the battle at Agincourt. Henry had about 2,500 men against the French who had approximately 50,000. At this point, the men were exhausted from marching over 260 miles and were starving, outnumbered, and out armed. Spoiler alert: the English won.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Agincourt

Here's the speech:

"This day is call’d the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this 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 rememb’red.
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 remembered-

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."​

 

[Gumball]

Latakia, the love that dare not speak its name :lol!:

 

[mike_68]

Excellent adaptation sir! Thanks for this....

 

[ua_piper]

Well done. As others have said, Thank you. It put a smile on my face as I sit here at work.

 

[dshpipes]

Thanks for the praise guys!

Well done. As others have said, Thank you. It put a smile on my face as I sit here at work.

I couldn't ask for more. Glad to be putting smiles on hard working faces. :cheers:

 

[Natch]

Very creative. We have a Shakespeare Festival every summer and they did Henry VI last summer. It was a wonderful production. Love that particular part.

Natch

 

[loneredtree]

Thank you. I think it a fitting speech for International pipe smoking day, February 20, 2012. :study:

 

[dshpipes]

Thank you. I think it a fitting speech for International pipe smoking day, February 20, 2012. :study:

I'll see if we can get Kenneth Branaugh. *starts pulling strings*