The Charge of the Life Brigade

Half a day, half a month
Half a year onward,
All in(to) the valley of Diabetes
Rode the one hundred.
“Forward, the Lite Brigade!
Go forth and live!” he (the endo) said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the one hundred.


“Forward, the Lite Brigade!”
Was there a soul dismayed? (Heck, YEAH)
And though, each one knelt and prayed
That he, and others, might be saved
Each one ultimately knew
Their bodies had blundered
They did not make reply
They could no know the why
They did not wish to die
Young, brave, one hundred!


Donuts to the right of them
Pizza to the left of them,
Chocolate in front of them,
Temptation all around!
Volley’d and thunder’d,
Stormed at, with Death’s cruel knell
Clumsily they rode, as their eyes did swell (untreated diabetes)
Into the jaws of D
Into a dream from Hell
Rode the one hundred.

Ate they, their diet poor
Not for them, the carb‑rich smore,
This thin, hungry corps
Fighting for life, while
All the world wondered:
Bathed in ketonish blood
Against a Cola flood,
Yank and Aussie
Reel’d from the parching thirst
Drank till they thought they’d burst
All on the ground fell they
Fell the one hundred.

Donuts to the left of them,
Pizza to the right of them
Temptation all around,
Who will be left of them?
Left of one hundred?

A teenage boy, his face chalk white
Lay hoping, on the ground
As all around him, lost their fight
He listened- to a sound.

A maiden fair, with locks of gold
Came wading through the muck
Thought he, “A man could die, a death so bold
With her to bring me luck!”

“Quick, soldier, plunge into thine arm
This life‑giving elixir,
Twill do thee good, it will not harm
This glorious clear fixer.”

His not to question why,
His not to sit and cry,
His but, to do, or die
Last of the hundred!

The boy awoke, a gentle hand
Caressed his fevered brow
A nurse in white, a black clad man
Asked how he felt right now.

A thousand battles daily rage,
Since insulin first came,
Yet still, we all repeat this page
And tell of Banting’s(and Best,let's not forget the other guy) fame.

Honor the Life Brigade
Honor the lives they saved,
And to the lives they’ll save,
Countless of hundreds!