Toast to Oxford 2009
by Robert M. Dawson
MR CHAIRMAN, honored guests, and
ladies and gentlemen of the two Universities:
As you have seen, this year's race was an epic battle. In some years I have been moved to emulate the style of Shakespeare - on one occasion Arnold. This year, nothing short of an imitation of that famous Anglo-Saxon poem, The Seafarer, will do. In honor of Oxford, then, I offer:
The Riverfarers
I may sing truly the tideway's travail
how the eights endure the coxes' curses
reaping the river with the sea-sickle
pulling with power upstream from Putney.
Not easy the lives or light the labor
of the boat-brethren who beat at the waves.
Nor do they struggle but a single Sunday,
but through the frost and fog of winter.
On many a morning the eight oarsmen
with dew and sweat drenched before dawn
strain at their oars speeding their shell.
When the rain falls rough on the rivers
weary the warriors work at their task.
Who lingers on land sleeping till late
strolls through street with easy stride
little can count the cares of the crew.
(800 lines omitted)
Deprived of the toss the dauntless dark blue
mounted at Middlesex their mighty longboat
Swift at the start the sky-blue strove
Not long their lead was doomed to last!
Even at the Mile the might of Oxford
brought to the front the dark-blue bow.
Ahead by a heartbeat were they at Hammersmith
closely they labored clashing their blades!
Still at the Eyot spoke the Oxford steersman
urging his underlings to valorous acts.
“Boasts at the Turf and at the Bird and Baby
Must grow to deeds ere this day be done.”
Then fell the foam from the riversteed's flanks,
she sprang like a sprinter ahead in the spray
leaving the Light Blue astern by two lengths
passing the Bandstand. At Barnes Bridge
she added another boatlength's advantage.
fairly her prow shone first at the finish!
Loud was the laughter of lighthearted Oxford
casting their cox kerplunk in the river.
Cantabrigensians, honored guests, please stand with me for a toast to this year's winners:
To OXFORD!
[delivered by Robert J. MacG. Dawson (Corpus, 1982) at the 43rd Annual Halifax Boat Race Dinner 8 May, 2009 during dessert]
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Oxoniensis Triumphans
29 March, 2009
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