Words of Wisdom

[BAGTIC]

'IF'


If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!
--Rudyard Kipling

 

[Just_a_girl]

Very nice...

Didn't think anyone read much of Kipling's poetry.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudyard_Kipling

 

[milesvb]

Didn't think anyone read much of Kipling's poetry.

Some do. Some like his stories too. I finished reading "Kim", among other things, a few days ago.

http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/k ... g_ind.html


BraX cows having calves always makes this line pop into my head:
"The female of the species is more deadly than the male."

 

[perda04]

BOY>Do you like Kipling?
GIRL>I don't know you silly thing. I've never Kipled.

 

[andybob]

I have a plaque with "IF" on it in my entrance hall, I grew up with Kiplings stories and poetry his friendship with CJ Rhodes kept him popular in our part of the world when he was less fashionable in the developed world. My dad had all his writings, his connection was more to India with his working as an engineer for many years before and after WW2, I was fortunate enough to inherit his books, including all of Kiplings published works.

 

[BAGTIC]

Reputedly at his zenith Kipling was the most read English author. Consider how many of his works became movies.

I believe he fell out of fashion because so many of his stories emphasised themes of loyalty, duty, honor, courage, sacrifice etc. There was a ready made audience for such stories in an age when many common people themselves held to such ideals. In the 'me generation' they seem quaintly moralistic, they were, and preachy. Few readers want to be so reminded of how short of the mark they themselves fall.

 

[Wewild]

i ain't much good at waiting sometimes.

I have always love poetry.