Kitchener (Orwell)

For works with similar titles, see Kitchener.

Kitchener (1916)
by George Orwell

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Published under Orwell's birthname of "Eric Blair" when he was 13 years old, this poem honouring Lord Kitchener was published in the July 21, 1916 Henley and South Oxfordshire Standard newspaper.

134410Kitchener1916George Orwell

NO STONE is set to mark his nation’s loss,
    No stately tomb enshrines his noble breast;
Not e’en the tribute of a wooden cross
    Can mark this hero’s rest.

He needs them not, his name untarnished stands,
    Remindful of the mighty deeds he worked,
Footprints of one, upon time’s changeful sands,
    Who ne’er his duty shirked.

Who follows in his steps no danger shuns,
    Nor stoops to conquer by a shameful deed,
An honest and unselfish race he runs,
    From fear and malice freed.

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.

The longest-living author of this work died in 1950, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 73 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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