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Rudyard Kipling's 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 imposters 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 wornout 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 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!"" - by Rudyard Kipling

Copyright © | Year Posted 2011




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Date: 7/11/2011 6:50:00 AM
wow!.... deep,..p.d.
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Date: 7/10/2011 5:42:00 PM
I remember reading this one at some point in time..I don't remember if it was church related or if from high school or college..It is an eye opening one..Glad that you went to the time to type it in and share it with us..Your presence at my work was uplifting..Sara
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Date: 7/8/2011 1:50:00 PM
A lot of tough chores and right ways thwere Ed Thanks for your kind comment on my haiku, yes they are meant to be simple as oatmeal ;) and the fullness of the verse is meant to be in the readers mind not the writers words Light & Love
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Date: 7/7/2011 6:25:00 AM
What more could I ask for today? It is a beautiful day the sun shining and birds singing. I am reading your poetry in which you share a little of yourself maybe without even realizing it you have written from your soul. Thank you for sharing your excellent poetry with us Edwin. Love, Carol
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Book: Shattered Sighs