From: Mark Datko
Newsgroups: alt.fan.pratchett
Subject: [I] More Anniversary wibble
Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2001 10:54:28 -0000

As this creaking steam powered manifestation of a newsgroup lumbers towards its tenth year and plans are very much a foot for major celebrations, and having excercised restraint [1] in *not* responding to some of the more heated discussions recently, I'd thought I try and come up with something that attempts to recapture something of the 'silly' days of the past
(ahh the good old days of asterisks and so few posts a day you could actually read them <g&d .. avoiding the flying pieces of cheese, cuddly toys , flames ... arrgh>)

With all due respect to another popular English writer .....
Based on ";St. Crispin's Day Speech"; from Henry V

This day is called the feast of a f p
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named
And rouse him at the name of a f p
He that shall drink this day, and see old age
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours
And say 'Tomorrow is another party meet'
Then will he search archives and show his posts
And say 'These gems I sent to a f p'
Old farts forget : yet all shall be forgot
But he'll remember with advantages
What filks he did that day : then shall our names
Familiar on his screen as household words
Pterry the king, Hampster and Mouse,
Ellis and Ellis, Gid'n'Suzi, and Megamole
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd
The FAQs shall the old fart teach newbie
And newsgroup a f p shall ever download
From this day to the ending of the world
But we in it shall be remember'd
We fans, we happy fans, we band of nutters
For he to-day that shares his thread with me
Shall be my brother ; be he e'er so vile,
That flame shall gentle his condition
And other fans on-line now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here
And hold their fandom cheap whiles any speaks
That supped with us upon a f p's party.


Mark Datko

[1] Funny name for a dog : restraint