Recessional
God of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle-line,
Beneath whose awful Hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
The tumult and the shouting dies;
The Captains and the Kings depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
Far-called, our navies melt away;
On dune and headland sinks the fire:
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard,
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding, calls not Thee to guard,
For frantic boast and foolish word—
Thy mercy on Thy People, Lord!
Quick facts about “Recessional”
- Author
- Rudyard Kipling
- First line
- God of our fathers, known of old,
- Length
- 30 lines in 5 stanzas
- Time to learn
- about 15 minutes
Questions about “Recessional”
Who wrote “Recessional”?
“Recessional” was written by Rudyard Kipling.
What is the first line of “Recessional”?
The first line of “Recessional” is: “God of our fathers, known of old,”
How long is “Recessional”?
“Recessional” is 30 lines long, in 5 stanzas.
How long does it take to memorize “Recessional”?
Plan on about 15 minutes in the Memorizun trainer, which hides words and letters step by step so you recall the text instead of rereading it. A few short sessions on separate days help it stick.
What is the best way to memorize “Recessional”?
Read it aloud once or twice, then use the trainer to hide more of the text each round until you can say it without looking. Learn it stanza by stanza, then join the stanzas together. Review it again the next day.
