Ubique
By Rudyard Kipling
There is a word you often see, pronounce it as you may
You bike, you bykwee, ubbikwe , alludin to R.A.
It serves Orse, Field, an Garrison as motto for a crest,
An when youve found out all it means Ill tell you alf the rest.
Ubique means the long-range Krupp beind the low-range ill,
Ubique means youll pick it up an, while you do, stand still.
Ubique means youve caught the flash an timed it by the sound.
Ubique means five gunners ash before youve loosed a round.
Ubique means Blue Fuse an make the ole to sink the trail.
Ubique means stand up an take the Mausers alf-mile ail.
Ubique means the crazy team not God nor man can old.
Ubique means that orses scream which turns your innards cold!
Ubique means Bank, Olborn, Bank, a penny all the way,
The soothin, jingle-bump-an-clank from day to peaceful day.
Ubique means Theyve caught De Wet, an now we shan t be long.
Ubique means I much regret, the beggars goin strong!
Ubique means the tearin drift where, breech-blocks jammed with mud,
The khaki muzzles duck an lift across the khaki flood.
Ubique means the dancing plain that changes rocks to Boers.
Ubique means the mirage again an shellin all outdoors.
Ubique means Entrain at once for Grootdefeatfontein!
Ubique means Off-load your guns, at midnight in the rain!
Ubique means More mounted men. Return all guns to store.
Ubique means the R. A. M. R. Infantillery Corps!
Ubique means that warnin grunt the perished linesman knows,
When oer is strung an sufferin front the shrapnel sprays is foes;
An as their firin dies away the usky whisper runs
From lips that ave nt drunk all day: The Guns! Thank Gawd, the Guns!
Extreme, depressed, point-blank or short, end-first or anyow,
From Colesberg Kop to Quaggas Poort, from Ninety-Nine till now,
By what Ive eard the others tell an I in spots ave seen,
Theres nothin this side Eaven or Ell Ubique does nt mean!