Talk:Departmental Ditties and Ballads and Barrack-Room Ballads/The Ballad of East and West

My father memorized this poem as a boy in Texas in the early 1930's. His teacher caught him with a book of Kipling poetry when he failed to answer after she called on him. Thinking embarassment might teach him a lesson, she suggested he should recite his favorite poem for the class... Relieved at the invitation, he did so; she was no doubt surprised at the second-grader's rendition of this ballad.

When I was a little girl, Daddy often recited this poem as a bedtime story for me. It was a favorite, and I half read, half recited it to him as he lay dying in 2002, at Memorial Regional in Hollywood, FL.

There was truly 'rock to the left, rock to the right, and low, lean thorn between'... You're loved and missed, Doreen —unsigned comment by 65.15.54.47 (talk).