With Apologies to Earnest Lawrence Thayer

Furman at the Scrum

It looked extremely rocky for the Furman fifteen that day
The score stood twelve to nothing with but twenty left to play
When one more minute passed and another did the same
A pallor masked the faces of the patrons of the game

For the Blue Devils from Durham had frustrated the offense
And a third straight title for Furman seemed an idea for the dense.
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Furman getting to do that


Then from eight hundred throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It pounded on the mountain and recoiled upon high,
For Furman, mighty Furman, had scored its first try

. There was ease in Furman's manner as the conversion was well placed;
There was pride in Furman's bearing and a smile lit Furman's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, they went right to their work,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt that Furman would not shirk.

Sixteen hundred eyes looked on as ref called the penalty kick
Eight hundred tongues applauded when they said,"To heck with this";
Then while Duke defense saw the next try on the fround had lit,
Defiance flashed in Furman's eye, a sneer curled Furman's lip.

Now the score is twelve to twelve and time is running down
a smile of Christian charity great Furman's visage shone;
Okay, that's a bit much to believe of this hard fought rugby match
But time was running down and Duke is not a slouch

The sneer is gone from Furman's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate,
He pounds with cruel violence toward the line to seal Duke's fate;
And now the Paladins have the ball, and now they forward go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Furman's blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favoured land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere spirits are high,
But there is no joy in Durham—mighty Furman scored the try.

Congrats to the Paladins on their three-peat!

Cross posted at Cola Towne Rugby