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 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!

Commentary

Old favourites time again…

In the commentary to Tommy, I remarked that ‘the sheer volume and diversity of [Kipling’s] poetry has made many of [his poems] famous in many different genres’. However, ‘If’ goes beyond that - it is known and memorised by people who have never otherwise heard of Kipling, beloved by those who are not ‘into poetry’, solemnly taught to generations of children and reprinted in countless anthologies.

Of course, as good as the verse is - and like nearly all Kipling’s verse, it is good - the poem’s popularity is largely due to its subject matter. Like Henley’s ‘Invictus’ it is a stirring challenge to pit oneself against a hostile universe; again, like many deservedly less famous poems it is an example of that most beloved of genres, Good Advice to the Younger Generation.

That the latter has not detracted from its appeal is remarkable - on the face of it this is just the kind of poem that the system loves to forcefeed generations of children, who in turn regard it with a ‘yeah, right’ cynicism. The difference is twofold. Firstly, unlike most of the self-conscious ‘children’s’ poets, Kipling is genuinely good. The verses breathe conviction, energy, and even excitement; whatever criticism may be labelled against Kipling’s work, dullness is not one of its faults. Secondly, Kipling understood his audience. One need only read ‘Stalky and Co.’, whose thoroughly subversive nature was way ahead of its time, to see that. And ‘If’ promotes the same kind of self-reliant individualism as Stalky does; it glorifies the gambler, the adventurer, the taker of risks. Take another read through the poem, and note how well it fits the protagonist of practically any adventure or heroic fantasy novel. Small wonder, then, that it has a similar appeal, and that despite the last line, children in general will not find the poem patronising or sententious.

On a more personal note, I’ve always felt that the quatrain beginning ‘If you can make one heap of all your winnings’ was one of the most thoroughly romantic pieces of verse I’ve encountered, capturing perfectly the grand gesture, the moment when life hangs in the balance, when all creation holds its breath and the universe shrinks down to the blood singing in your veins and the faint, faraway rattle of a cosmic die. (Yes, I have been reading too much sf&f - why do you ask?) And this brings me to the final - and perhaps the greatest - reason this is such a memorable poem. Quite simply, it touches people - there is almost invariably some section the reader can relate to, that sticks in his mind because of its almost self-evident rightness and pops up unbidden at odd moments. No, this is not the greatest of Kipling’s poems - but it may well be the farthest-reaching.

— Martin

Notes

Kipling wrote If with Dr Leander Starr Jameson in mind. In 1895, Jameson led about 500 of his countrymen in a failed raid against the Boers, in southern Africa. What became known as the Jameson Raid was later cited as a major factor in bringing about the Boer War of 1899 to 1902. But the story as recounted in Britain was quite different. The British defeat was interpreted as a victory and Jameson portrayed as a daring hero.

– http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/kipling-if.html

Links

Invictus: poem #221

Other Kipling Poems on Minstrels: As a diehard Kipling fan, I have run a number of these - rather than list them all, go to The Wondering Minstrels and scroll to Kipling.

The biography et al can be found at poem #17

The Wondering Minstrels, poem #271 · 23 November 1999

Poem selected by Martin DeMello

Fair use

Show 19 commentsHide comments

From the Wondering Minstrels mailing list, 1999–2008.

Vinithbc · 23 November 1999

Do not remember source but this poem was written with his only son in mind who he lost to war.

v · 23 November 1999

I like the poem very much and your comments. These two lines above trouble me. As if the only way to be all the else the poet encourages one to be, one must be detached and let no one too close to one’s heart.

sapienza · 11 June 2002

IF
Rudyard Kipling in his poem ‘IF’ gives some very good advice on how to understand human nature and therefore hoe to learn to understand oneself. He advises on how to be patient, and how to deal with daily situations, to remain calm and content with oneself, no matter the difficulties that we are faced with: “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you” Despite all this you must remain a humble person: “And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise”. The poem ‘IF’ is a truly beautiful poem that you can go back to time and time again, as it really offer precious guides on life, maturity and independence. You should never loose heart, and have a very strong character if you want to confront life: “If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two impostors just the same” “Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools”. It somehow connects with a man’s true nature to remain calm despite all the turbulence around us, and if we have the strength to put into practice what the poet advises, you will find the secret to what it really means to be an honourable dignified human being. Remember to never be arrogant, but remember that everybody is truly equal in mind and spirit: “If you can force you heart and nerve and sinew to serve your turn long after they are gone” “Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And-which is more-you’ll be a Man, my son!
By Michale Sapienza

sapienza · 11 June 2002

Edward Little · 30 September 2002

An often unnoticed mark of genius in this poem is how, over and over again, it deals with opposites.

R Bhyat · 23 October 2002

What strikes me most about this poem is that Kipling seems to be indicating that the
physical (material) world is an illusion nothing more and nothing less. If we can play the game
of life in such a way that we live a life of balance and are not too attached to any particular outcome - hence his abundant use of ‘opposites’ - and yet have the fortitude of starting afresh, then we have learnt to let go of the ego-self and any physical attachments (attachments to people are also regarded as physical attachments -common to many philosophies) and have come to the realization that the world is in fact an ‘ultra-real 3d virtual-reality’ game, and that to transcend our ego-personality selves this would be the way that such a person would behave. In effect, Kipling seems to be saying: Align yourself to your spiritual self which exists outside of space-time and therefore is eternal; and not your ego-personality(physical) self which sees death as its ultimate end. In so doing you will live ethically, in the present moment, harm no-one and help many, give much but ask for nothing in return and ultimately you will experience ‘happiness’. Kipling repeatedly alludes to life as being a game. Just a game play it well by the rules outlined.

A more religious interpretation (though whether Kipling intended it or not is debatable), is in
respect of the last two lines : Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it; and which is more, you’ll be a man, my son. These two lines could cast the entire poem in a different light in that Kipling may not necessarily be talking to his son, but God (or the Universal Supreme Being ) is in fact talking to man about the guidelines of behavior on earth in order to live an ethical life free from attachment to the ego-personality self and in line with his spiritual self. (see paragraph 1).

from

R Bhyat

WdWoodworks · 16 January 2003

I think it is a great poem. It really shows people how to be a real man. If I was a man I would really be inspired!! I love this poem!

Garry Coates · 7 April 2004

If

The relevance of this poem to everyday right now is outstanding. Real, important things in life do not change.

I have re-read it many times and it always impacts me strongly.

Raymond Saucillo · 9 December 2004

Was browsing for inspiration and saw your comment on ‘If’. I agree with your statement. I think a ‘man’ can should be able to feel totally and deeply, be able to understand that, and ultimately prevail from any pain that may come.

Marzena Reich · 6 January 2005

Unlike most of you I only met with “If.” as a very adult person. I am Polish, and the imperial sentiments never spoke much to us, or touched a nerve, so Kipling is only known in Poland as the autor of Jungle Books, and little discussed.

What hit me with this text when I first read it is that its vision of worthy life was anti thesis of hedonism.

I read it today after a scene that might be taken from the very verses. A crushing criticism of all life’s work, condemnation of something I gave everything to. And what sprang to my mind at the closure, but the “if.”?

Thanks, Rudyard Kipling.

Marzena

Jessica Schnell · 28 April 2005

I like this poem, not only because it’s my boyfriend’s favorite, but because it’s resounding and thoughtful and loving.

Anurag Pujari · 16 September 2005

(Request …. kindly do not post with name, but anon or initial, if you choose to post at all)

This poem has such great depth and message. This is perhaps the one poem that has been a lifelong friend and model to many of us. Whereas he poem seemingly exhorts the reader to fight the hostile world, it can also be interpreted slightly differently … to live in harmony with life. Maybe not the life that many of us run after, but what manifests when we stop running. When there is no running against, running for, or running with. The qualities that Kipling mentions in the first para are natural symptoms of this way of life, and are not something that one
habitually inculcates. A sense of calm solitude,humility and caring naturally become a part of being.

The 2nd verse seems to point to the virtues of ambitionless action, limitations of the thinking mind, and the passing nature of material or mental possessions.
The 3rd hints at living with great depth and passion till the very end, and this seems to be reinforced in the 4th with such a force. If one leads such a life of passion, one realizes that every moment is an opportunity; that the present is more important than all the theory, all the accomplishments and failings of the past, or hopes of the future. In such a state
of purity of action, what might follow is a loss of identification with the self, and a sense of assimilation with all the world and life. And that’s not the end of the story, but rather the beginning. We can only wonder how liberating it would be.

And though the words are hard to live up to, how they inspire.

Anurag Pujari · 8 December 2005

Hi,
I see that you have posted a submission from me on If by Kipling. Thanks for that.
The mail id posted on the webpage is the same as the id I’m mailing from. Kindly remove my name from the post as it is indexed by google and I would not like my name to appear on the web next to some personal beliefs. If removing the name is not possible for some reason, please delete the entire post. I’d appreciate a reply from you once that’s done.
thanks,
Anurag.

Anurag Pujari · 26 April 2006

Dude,
I have requested twice before to remove the comment from “Anurag Pujari” (). Will you please find a moment to do it? I’m pretty sure it would not take more than 5 mins to do it, so please oblige.
thanks,
Anurag.

Angelo Villa · 1 May 2006

Angelo Villa
Michael Angelo Interiors, Ltd.

I{ am at a loss,I was lookin g for the poem VINTHBE RUDYARD KIPLING

HEL

Maris Tebecis · 4 October 2006

Is it possible that this poem refers to God or a Supreme Being or the like? In the third stanza, Kipling refers to “the Will”. At first it seems as though he is referring to will power, however, it may be that he is referring to what some call the Will of God (there are many names however the concept is similar). This concept is widely recognised, not only by religious people but also by famous people such as Einstein (“there is Will in the universe”). Furthermore, the last four lines of the third stanza could possibly be referring to experiences on a battlefield (Kipling served in the British Army), where many people feel they experience God.
In addition, the last two lines of the people seem to indicate that the poem is advice to a younger generation. However, it is possible that it is written as if it were God giving instructions or an ethos for humans to live by.

rconcklin · 15 May 2007

For me this poem distills the essence of the Christian religion (I am Wesleyan).
It portraits someone fully engaged in life, but keeping everything in perspective.
Can you see Osama Bin Laden writing, “Or being hated, don’t give way to hating?”

Anu S · 22 May 2007

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Stilllil32354 · 11 December 2007

I memorized this poem at an early age. Somehow, I still find myself going back to this poem. I am 58 years old although, I have forgotten the entire poem but I can never forget the first and last lines of this poem. I will be giving this poem to my Nephew which I reared. He will be graduating from High School in May 2008. I think this is the best gift I can give him. The gift of Life. I Love this poem.