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| The Flower portrait (known to be a 19th century forgery) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Are you an eco-leader marching to save the planet?
Will you be remembered by a latter day Shakespeare as one leading a "band of brothers"?
But we in it shall be remembered -
We few, we happy few,
We few, we happy few,
we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me...
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me...
No - for we are energy managers !
Perhaps our words betray us...
We conserve, we comfort, we reduce, we recycle and we re-use.
Jolly poetic and with a fine bit of alliteration but ...it seems - we really aren't quite turning the planet on its' head just yet are we ?
Perhaps at our radical peak we might choose to "empower through awareness campaigns."
But if we sound more like a marvel comic than Shakespeare - perhaps it is that we lack leadership qualities. Or poets. I don't know - but I know something has to change. To test whether you agree with me - try this simple thought experiment...
So let's see how we hold up against the bard... (After all we have a world not just England to save)
Try reading this with passion to motivate your eco-troups...
( note : irony - thought experiment - not advice - really ! :)
Henry V Act IV Scene iii 18-67.
- Enter the KINGWESTMORELAND. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!
KING. What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
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 nam'd,
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 Crispian'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 accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
So St. Crispins day 25th October is but four months away -
What have you got planned to change things betwixt then and now?
WESTMORELAND. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!
- Or are we all "of those ten thousand" that do no work today ?
- Comments welcomed below.
