THE LADY WITHOUT A LAMP

B.B. Lawrece, Nosmo King and Herbert Townsend

He was telling his class of the Crimean War

Of the soldiers who fought and who died,

And of how Florence Nightingale bearing a lamp

Could be seen at the wounded men’s side. 

“That woman,” said he, “is a lesson to all

Of steadfastness, courage and love,

Just one fine example of what can be done

With the power that comes from above.”

Then a boy’s hand shot up and a voice said “But sir,

She wasn’t the only one, 

There must have been others out there at the front

Or the work never could have been done.”

“Why, yes,” said the teacher, “some forty or more

Were helping to work at the camp,

But hers was the name that found honour and fame

As the lady who carried the lamp.

“So today in this world there are those who find fame

For the wonderful things they have done,

Some deed of courage, some generous act,

And they soon find their place in the sun,

“While others just carry on with their job

And the world never makes any fuss,

They just struggle along, even when things go wrong,

Like the Smiths or the Browns or like us.

“No limelight for them, no newspaper headlines,

No royalty claim them as friend.

They just play their part in the drama of life,

And then quietly slip out at the end.

“Yet this old world could never keep going

On its long and its difficult tramp

If it weren’t for the fellow without a name

Or the Lady without a Lamp.”

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