If by Rudyard Kipling

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Short Poems for Kids

This poem packs a lot into it! If by Rudyard Kipling is about a father teaching his son how to live a life of honor!

So, it's really for boys but girls can learn a thing or two from it as well.

This is a little more of a serious adventure.

I dare you to take the time to study this poem and really try to understand what it's saying.

If by Rudyard Kipling

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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!

What Did You Learn?

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Well, what did you think? The poem If by Rudyard Kipling has been around a long time!

If we can try to practice what is says we will become men of great courage and honor.

We will triumph over evil and fight for what is good and right.

We will have self-control and not loose our tempers.

We will fight for truth when no one else will.

We will become MEN!

Wow! Pretty cool. And all from a short poem for kids!

If you liked this poem, you may also like these other books by Rudyard Kipling. Did you know he wrote The Jungle Book?

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi

The Jungle Book, Unabridged Audiobook on MP3 with eBook

Kim, Grade 5

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