Song of Diego Valdez by Rudyard Kipling
The God of Fair Beginnings Hath prospered here my hand — The cargoes of my lading, And the keels of my command. For out of many ventures That sailed with hope as high, My own have made the better trade, And Admiral am I. To me my King’s much honour, To me my people’s love […]
Soldier an’ Sailor Too by Rudyard Kipling
As I was spittin’ into the Ditch aboard o’ the Crocodile, I seed a man on a man-o’-war got up in the Reg’lars’ style. ‘E was scrapin’ the paint from off of ‘er plates, an’ I sez to ‘im, “‘Oo are you?” Sez ‘e, “I’m a Jolly — ‘Er Majesty’s Jolly — soldier an’ sailor […]
Snarleyow by Rudyard Kipling
This ‘appened in a battle to a batt’ry of the corps Which is first among the women an’ amazin’ first in war; An’ what the bloomin’ battle was I don’t remember now, But Two’s off-lead ‘e answered to the name o’ Snarleyow. Down in the Infantry, nobody cares; Down in the Cavalry, Colonel ‘e swears; […]
Sir Richard’s Song by Rudyard Kipling
(A. D. 1066) I followed my Duke ere I was a lover, To take from England fief and fee; But now this game is the other way over– But now England hath taken me! I had my horse, my shield and banner, And a boy’s heart, so whole and free; But now I sing in […]
Shillin’ a Day by Rudyard Kipling
My name is O’Kelly, I’ve heard the Revelly From Birr to Bareilly, from Leeds to Lahore, Hong-Kong and Peshawur, Lucknow and Etawah, And fifty-five more all endin’ in “pore”. Black Death and his quickness, the depth and the thickness, Of sorrow and sickness I’ve known on my way, But I’m old and I’m nervis, I’m […]
Seven Watchmen by Rudyard Kipling
1918 SEVEN Watchmen sitting in a tower, Watching what had come upon mankind, Showed the Man the Glory and the Power, And bade him shape the Kingdom to his mind. “All things on Earth your will shall win you.” (‘Twas so their council ran) ” But the Kingdom–the Kingdom is within you,” Said the Man’s […]
Seal Lullaby by Rudyard Kipling
Oh! hush thee, my baby, the night is behind us And black are the waters that sparkled so green. The moon, O’er the combers, looks downward to find us At rest in the hollows that rustle between. Where billow meets billow, there soft by the pillow. Oh, weary wee flipperling, curl at thy ease! The […]
Screw-Guns by Rudyard Kipling
Smokin’ my pipe on the mountings, sniffin’ the mornin’ cool, I walks in my old brown gaiters along o’ my old brown mule, With seventy gunners be’ind me, an’ never a beggar forgets It’s only the pick of the Army that handles the dear little pets — ‘Tss! ‘Tss! For you all love the screw-guns […]
Russia To The Pacifists by Rudyard Kipling
1918 God rest you, peaceful gentlemen, let nothing you dismay, But–leave your sports a little while–the dead are borne this way! Armies dead and Cities dead, past all count or care. God rest you, merry gentlemen, what portent see you there? Singing:–Break ground for a wearied host That have no ground to keep. Give them […]
Route Marchin’ by Rudyard Kipling
We’re marchin’ on relief over Injia’s sunny plains, A little front o’ Christmas-time an’ just be’ind the Rains; Ho! get away you bullock-man, you’ve ‘eard the bugle blowed, There’s a regiment a-comin’ down the Grand Trunk Road; With its best foot first And the road a-sliding past, An’ every bloomin’ campin’-ground exactly like the last; […]
Romulus and Remus by Rudyard Kipling
Oh, little did the Wolf-Child care– When first he planned his home, What City should arise and bear The weight and state of Rome. A shiftless, westward-wandering tramp, Checked by the Tiber flood, He reared a wall around his camp Of uninspired mud. But when his brother leaped the Wall And mocked its height and […]
Road-Song of the Bandar-Log by Rudyard Kipling
(From The Jungle Book) Here we go in a flung festoon, Half-way up to the jealous moon! Don’t you envy our pranceful bands? Don’t you wish you had extra hands? Would n’t you like if your tails were — so — Curved in the shape of a Cupid’s bow? Now you’re angry, but — never […]
Rimmon by Rudyard Kipling
1903 After Boer War Duly with knees that feign to quake– Bent head and shaded brow,– Yet once again, for my father’s sake, In Rimmon’s House I bow. The curtains part, the trumpet blares, And the eunuchs howl aloud; And the gilt, swag-bellied idol glares Insolent over the crowd. “This is Rimmon, Lord of the […]
Rimini by Rudyard Kipling
Marching Song of a Roman Legion of the Later Empire Enlarged From “Puck of Pook’s Hill” When I left Rome for Lalage’s sake, By the Legions’ Road to Rimini, She vowed her heart was mine to take With me and my shield to Rimini– (Till the Eagles flew from Rimini–) And I’ve tramped Britain, and […]
Recessional (A Victorian Ode) by Rudyard Kipling
God of our fathers, known of old — Lord of our far-flung battle line — Beneath whose awful hand we hold Dominion over palm and pine — Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget — lest we forget! The tumult and the shouting dies — The Captains and the Kings depart […]
Recessional by Rudyard Kipling
God of our fathers, known of old — Lord of our far-flung battle line — Beneath whose awful hand we hold Dominion over palm and pine — Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget — lest we forget! The tumult and the shouting dies — The Captains and the Kings depart […]
Rebirth by Rudyard Kipling
If any God should say, “I will restore The world her yesterday Whole as before My Judgment blasted it”–who would not lift Heart, eye, and hand in passion o’er the gift? If any God should will To wipe from mind The memory of this ill Which is Mankind In soul and substance now–who would not […]
Puck’s Song by Rudyard Kipling
See you the ferny ride that steals Into the oak-woods far? O that was whence they hewed the keels That rolled to Trafalgar. And mark you where the ivy clings To Bayham’s mouldering walls? O there we cast the stout railings That stand around St. Paul’s. See you the dimpled track that runs All hollow […]
Public Waste by Rudyard Kipling
By the Laws of the Family Circle ’tis written in letters of brass That only a Colonel from Chatham can manage the Railways of State, Because of the gold on his breeks, and the subjects wherein he must pass; Because in all matters that deal not with Railways his knowledge is great. Now Exeter Battleby […]
Prophets at Home by Rudyard Kipling
Prophets have honour all over the Earth, Except in the village where they were born, Where such as knew them boys from birth Nature-ally hold ’em in scorn. When Prophets are naughty and young and vain, They make a won’erful grievance of it; (You can see by their writings how they complain), But 0, ’tis […]
Prelude by Rudyard Kipling
I have eaten your bread and salt. I have drunk your water and wine. In deaths ye died I have watched beside, And the lives ye led were mine. Was there aught that I did not share In vigil or toil or ease, — One joy or woe that I did not know, Dear hearts […]
Possibilities by Rudyard Kipling
Ay, lay him ‘neath the Simla pine — A fortnight fully to be missed, Behold, we lose our fourth at whist, A chair is vacant where we dine. His place forgets him; other men Have bought his ponies, guns, and traps. His fortune is the Great Perhaps And that cool rest-house down the glen, Whence […]
Poor Honest Men by Rudyard Kipling
Your jar of Virginny Will cost you a guinea, Which you reckon too much by five shillings or ten; But light your churchwarden And judge it according, When I’ve told you the troubles of poor honest men. From the Capes of the Delaware, As you are well aware, We sail which tobacco for England-but then, […]
Philadelphia by Rudyard Kipling
“Brother Square-Toes”–Rewards and Fairies. If you’re off to Philadelphia in the morning, You mustn’t take my stories for a guide. There’s little left, indeed, of the city you will read of, And all the folk I write about have died. Now few will understand if you mention Talleyrand, Or remember what his cunning and his […]
Pagett, M.P. by Rudyard Kipling
The toad beneath the harrow knows Exactly where eath tooth-point goes. The butterfly upon the road Preaches contentment to that toad. Pagett, M.P., was a liar, and a fluent liar therewith — He spoke of the heat of India as the “Asian Solar Myth”; Came on a four months’ visit, to “study the East,” in […]
Outsong in the Jungle by Rudyard Kipling
For the sake of him who showed One wise Frog the Jungle-Road, Keep the Law the Man-Pack make For thy blind old Baloo’s sake! Clean or tainted, hot or stale, Hold it as it were the Trail, Through the day and through the night, Questing neither left nor right. For the sake of him who […]
Our Fathers Also by Rudyard Kipling
“Below the Mill Dam” –Traffics and Discoveries Thrones, Powers, Dominions, Peoples, Kings, Are changing ‘neath our hand. Our fathers also see these things But they do not understand. By–they are by with mirth and tears, Wit or the works of Desire- Cushioned about on the kindly years Between the wall and the fire. The grapes […]
Oonts by Rudyard Kipling
Wot makes the soldier’s ‘eart to penk, wot makes ‘im to perspire? It isn’t standin’ up to charge nor lyin’ down to fire; But it’s everlastin’ waitin’ on a everlastin’ road For the commissariat camel an’ ‘is commissariat load. O the oont*, O the oont, O the commissariat oont! With ‘is silly neck a-bobbin’ like […]
One Viceroy Resigns by Rudyard Kipling
So here’s your Empire. No more wine, then? Good. We’ll clear the Aides and khitmatgars away. (You’ll know that fat old fellow with the knife — He keeps the Name Book, talks in English too, And almost thinks himself the Government.) O Youth, Youth, Youth! Forgive me, you’re so young. Forty from sixty — twenty […]
Natural Theology by Rudyard Kipling
Primitive I ate my fill of a whale that died And stranded after a month at sea. . . . There is a pain in my inside. Why have the Gods afflicted me? Ow! I am purged till I am a wraith! Wow! I am sick till I cannot see! What is the sense of […]
My Rival by Rudyard Kipling
I go to concert, party, ball — What profit is in these? I sit alone against the wall And strive to look at ease. The incense that is mine by right They burn before her shrine; And that’s because I’m seventeen And She is forty-nine. I cannot check my girlish blush, My color comes and […]
My New-Cut Ashler by Rudyard Kipling
My New-Cut ashlar takes the light Where crimson-blank the windows flare. By my own work before the night, Great Overseer, I make my prayer. If there be good in that I wrought Thy Hand compelled it, Master, Thine– Where I have failed to meet Thy Thought I know, through Thee, the blame was mine. The […]
My Lady’s Law by Rudyard Kipling
The Law whereby my lady moves Was never Law to me, But ’tis enough that she approves Whatever Law it be. For in that Law, and by that Law My constant course I’ll steer; Not that I heed or deem it dread, But that she holds it dear. Tho’ Asia sent for my content Her […]
My Boy Jack by Rudyard Kipling
1914-18 Have you news of my boy Jack?” Not this tide. “When d’you think that he’ll come back?” Not with this wind blowing, and this tide. “Has any one else had word of him?: “ Not this tide. For what is sunk will hardly swim, Not with this wind blowing, and this tide. “Oh, dear, […]
Mulholland’s Contract by Rudyard Kipling
The fear was on the cattle, for the gale was on the sea, An’ the pens broke up on the lower deck an’ let the creatures free — An’ the lights went out on the lower deck, an’ no one near but me. I had been singin’ to them to keep ’em quiet there, For […]
Mowgli’s Song Against People by Rudyard Kipling
I will let loose against you the fleet-footed vines– I will call in the Jungle to stamp out your lines! The roofs shall fade before it, The house-beams shall fall; And the Karela,. the bitter Karela, Shall cover it all! In the gates of these your councils my people shall sing. In the doors of […]
Mowgli’s Song by Rudyard Kipling
The Song of Mowgli — I, Mowgli, am singing. Let the jungle listen to the things I have done. Shere Khan said he would kill — would kill! At the gates in the twilight he would kill Mowgli, the Frog! He ate and he drank. Drink deep, Shere Khan, for when wilt thou drink again? […]
Mother o’ Mine by Rudyard Kipling
If I were hanged on the highest hill, Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine! I know whose love would follow me still, Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine! If I were drowned in the deepest sea, Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine! I know whose tears would come down to me, Mother […]
Morning Song in the Jungle by Rudyard Kipling
One moment past our bodies cast No shadow on the plain; Now clear and black they stride our track, And we run home again. In morning-hush, each rock and bush Stands hard, and high, and raw: Then give the Call: “Good rest to all That keep the Jungle Law!” Now horn and pelt our peoples […]
Mine Sweepers by Rudyard Kipling
Dawn off the Foreland–the young flood making Jumbled and short and steep– Black in the hollows and bright where it’s breaking– Awkward water to sweep. “Mines reported in the fairway, “Warn all traffic and detain. “‘Sent up Unity, Cralibel, Assyrian, Stormcock, and Golden Gain.” Noon off the Foreland–the first ebb making Lumpy and strong in […]