If

Thee mighty 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!

Reviews

[Elnnes Scholtz]

Dear John,

I wanted to share my thoughts on your poem "If—." Your ability to convey profound life lessons in such a concise manner is impressive. The structure, with its repeated “If you can…” lines, builds a rhythmic anticipation that guides the reader through the challenges of life.

I especially appreciate how you explore the balance between triumph and disaster, encouraging us to remain grounded while pursuing our dreams. The imagery of “stooping to build ’em up with worn-out tools” captures the essence of resilience and dedication beautifully.

The closing lines are particularly powerful, emphasizing that true manhood lies in self-mastery and grace under pressure. Overall, your poem is both inspiring and thought-provoking, offering timeless wisdom that resonates deeply. Thank you for sharing this remarkable work!

Your Faithfully
Elnnes

[Arundass TP]

Beautiful poem. Loved this one. Strong lines

[Betty Hermelee]

A wonderful poem, a great poet... who seemed to have all the answers about everything! and good advice to his son...if you were able to handle all these truths you would be quite an amazing person...very positive words....thank you for sharing
Warmly, B

[AYVID N]

I've loved this poem, always. Thank you for sharing it here. You reminded me to read more of the great poet.

[emmajoygreen]

Man or woman, son or daughter: how to live by a great man who lived a full life. His once home is called Batemans, England - fascinating.

Thank you for reminding me that 'If' was one of our father's favourite poems. :)

[Stella Armour]

A very famous and important poem .. how to live a good life.
I cant think that any verse is more important than the others.. what a wise man Kipling was.