THE LADY WITHOUT THE LAMP
by
B. B. Lawrence, Nosmo King and Herbert Townsend (1948)

He was telling his class of the Crimean War,
Of the soldiers who fought and who died,
And of how Florence Nightingale, bearing a lamp
Could be seen at the wounded mens side.
"That woman," said he, "is a lesson for all
Of steadfastness, courage and love,
Just one fine example of what can be done
With the power that comes from above"-
Then a boy's hand shot up,
And a voice said "But Sir - she wasn't the only one!
There must have been others out there at the front
Or the work never could have been done."
"Why yes," said the teacher, "some forty or more
Were helping to nurse at the camp,
But hers was the name that won honour and fame
As, `The Lady who carried the Lamp"'
So today in the world, there are some who find fame
For the wonderful things they have done
Some deed of courage, some generous act
And they soon find a place in the sun.
While others just carry on with their jobs
And the world never makes any fuss,
They just struggle along, even when things go wrong
Like the Browns-or the Smiths or like Us.
No limelight for them - no newspaper headlines.
No Royalty claim them as friends.
They just play their parts in the drama of life
And then quietly slip out at the end.
Yet - this old world could never keep going
On its long and its difficult tramp,
if it weren't for the fellow without a name
And "The Lady without a Lamp."