Saturday, October 15, 2011

If/ Rudyard Kipling

If—

BY RUDYARD KIPLING

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 on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
    And never breathe 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!


    My dad gave me a journal at Christmas for many years.  Inside he would tape copies of  his favorite poems and inspirational quotes.  This poem was always among those he gave me.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Mary,

    I am sorry to read some of the things you have been through. I am moved to tears by some of your posts and your passion to make things better for others. You have shown great courage in sharing what has happened, and in doing so you are free. You will never be free of the past but you are now free to be yourself.

    You are right that all men can make a difference and the poem "If" that you have posted above can make a difference to men, as it speaks of humility and not of trying to prove to be a man, but being a man through virtues that may inspire other men.

    My father also loved this poem, and over the years I have met many people who have used this poem as a guide to life, in their work and in their personal lives.

    I am involved with a group of "If" enthusiasts in creating a website that is devoted to this poem, and it will include other similar poems, articles and music, all inspired by "If." I thought that you and your readers may be interested in this, and we would welcome any suggestions, comments or articles. If you think it could make a difference, please consider adding it to your recommended sites or linking it on this page. Please take a look: http://www.allthingsif.org

    Thank you and God bless and all the best for 2012

    ReplyDelete