We counted them out

We counted them out,

and we counted them in,

there were fewer came back,

and they cried ‘Did we win?’

‘Not today.’ we said,

with a degree of sorrow;

‘But, we are bound to win tomorrow’.

So, we counted them out,

and we counted them in,

still fewer came back,

and they asked ‘Did we win?’

‘Not today.’ we said,

with a soupçon of sorrow,

‘But, we’ll probably win tomorrow.’

So, we counted them out,

and we counted them in,

just a handful came back,

and they asked, Did we win?’

‘Not today.’ we said,

with a small pinch of sorrow,

Though we’re quite likely to win on the morrow.’

Then we counted them out,

and we counted him in,

a dusty young lad from the Farthings,

and he asked, ‘Did I win?’

‘Not today’. we admitted,

with a tear in one eye,

‘But tomorrow is another day,

in which you can try’.

We counted him out…