Kipling: Poems

by Rudyard Kipling, Peter Washington (Editor)

Beloved for his fanciful and engrossing children’s literature, controversial for his enthusiasm for British imperialism, Rudyard Kipling remains one of the most widely read writers of Victorian and modern English literature. In addition to writing more than two dozen works of fiction, including Kim and The Jungle Book , Kipling was a prolific poet, composing verse in every classical form from the epigram to the ode. Kipling’s most distinctive gift was for ballads and narrative poems in which he drew vivid characters in universal situations, articulating profound truths in plain language. Yet he was also a subtle, affecting anatomist of the human heart, and his deep feeling for the natural world was exquisitely expressed in his verse. He was shattered by World War I, in which he lost his only son, and his work darkened in later years but never lost its extraordinary vitality. All of these aspects of Kipling’s poetry are represented in this selection, which ranges from such well-known compositions as “Mandalay” and “If” to the less-familiar, emotionally powerful, and personal epigrams he wrote in response to the war.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Literature, Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1890

About the author

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was a journalist, short-story writer, poet, and novelist.

Kipling's works of fiction include The Jungle Book (1894), Kim (1901), and many short stories, including The Man Who Would Be King (1888). His poems include Mandalay (1890), Gunga Din (1890), The Gods of the Copybook Headings (1919), The White Man's Burden (1899), and If— (1910). He is regarded as a major innovator in the art of the short story; his children's books are classics of children's literature; and one critic described his work as exhibiting "a versatile and luminous narrative gift".

Kipling was one of the most popular writers in the United Kingdom, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Henry James said: "Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius (as distinct from fine intelligence) that I have ever known." In 1907, at the age of 41, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize, and its youngest recipient to date. He was also sounded out for the British Poet Laureateship and on several occasions for a knighthood, both of which he declined.

Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907 "in consideration of the power of observation, originality of imagination, virility of ideas and remarkable talent for narration which characterize the creations of this world-famous author."

Kipling kept writing until the early 1930s, but at a slower pace and with much less success than before. On the night of 12 January 1936, Kipling suffered a haemorrhage in his small intestine. He underwent surgery, but died less than a week later on 18 January 1936 at the age of 70 of a perforated duodenal ulcer. Kipling's death had in fact previously been incorrectly announced in a magazine, to which he wrote, "I've just read that I am dead. Don't forget to delete me from your list of subscribers."

Reviews

[Anna Petruk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kipling's poems were one of the features I liked the most about Just So Stories and The Jungle Books. Strangely, a collection of his poems as a standalone work left me mostly unimpressed. There were only a few poems I truly liked. There were many I had a hard time getting through.

These are the features I didn't like in the poems:

1) A lot of them were written in a way that was supposed to represent a specific accent, I guess? Looked like this:

For 'Im an' 'Er an' It
(An' Two an' One makes Three)
'E wants to finish 'is little bit,
An' 'e wants to go 'ome to 'is tea!

Sure, I can still understand what's written. But I don't see a point in this, and it just makes reading harder. Kipling did that a lot, and it got on my nerves.

2) There were many mentions of specific geographic places like "Ma'ollisberg Range" or names for things like "Bandar" which meant nothing to me. Since I wasn't particularly into the poems either, I didn't care enough to look for explanations. And seeing a lot of obscure references didn't add enjoyment to reading the poems.

Frankly, I think the editor could have easily addressed this if they added notes for this kind of thing.

3) A lot of the time, the character of Kipling's poems are poor white sailors or soldiers in colonial India facing their particular kinds of hardships. I'm sure their life was no piece of cake, but I also couldn't empathize or frankly even care about any of them.

There was really very little I could relate to in these poems, so I was left unmoved for the most part.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Deep-Sea Cables

The wrecks dissolve above us;
their dust drops down from afar—
Down to the dark, to the utter dark,
where the blind white sea-snakes are.

There is no sound, no echo of sound,
in the deserts of the deep,
Or the great gray level plains of ooze
where the shell-burred cables creep.

Here in the womb of the world—
here on the tie-ribs of earth
Words, and the words of men,
flicker and flutter and beat—
Warning, sorrow and gain,
salutation and mirth—
For a Power troubles the Still
that has neither voice nor feet.

They have wakened the timeless Things;
they have killed their father Time;
Joining hands in the gloom,
a league from the last of the sun.
Hush! Men talk today o’er the waste of the ultimate slime,
And a new Word runs between: whispering, “Let us be one!”

Excerpt from Sussex

No bosomed woods adorn
Our blunt, bow-headed, whale-backed Downs,
But gnarled and writhen thorn—
Bare slopes where chasing shadows skim,
And, through the gaps revealed,
Belt upon belt, the wooded, dim,
Blue goodness of the Weald.

Clean of officious fence or hedge,
Half-wild and wholly tame,
The wise turf cloaks the white cliff edge
As when the Romans came.
What sign of those that fought and died
At shift of sword and sword?
The barrow and the camp abide,
The sunlight and the sward.

Excerpt from The Gods of the Copybook Headings

In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all,
By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul;
But, though we had plenty of money, there was nothing our money could buy,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “If you don’t work you die.”

Then the Gods of the Market tumbled, and their smooth-tongued wizards withdrew, And the hearts of the meanest were humbled and began to believe it was true
That All is not Gold that Glitters, and Two and Two make Four—
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings limped up to explain it once more.

As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man—
There are only four things certain since Social Progress began—
That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire,
And the burnt Fool’s bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire—
And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn
The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!

The White Mans Burden

Take up the White Man’s burden—
The savage wars of peace—
Fill full the mouth of Famine
And bid the sickness cease;

And when your goal is nearest
The end for others sought,
Watch Sloth and heathen Folly
Bring all your hope to nought.

Take up the White Man’s burden—
No tawdry rule of kings,
But toil of serf and sweeper—
The tale of common things.

The ports ye shall not enter,
The roads ye shall not tread,
Go make them with your living,
And mark them with your dead.

Take up the White Man’s burden—
Ye dare not stoop to less—
Nor call too loud on Freedom
To cloak your weariness;
By all ye cry or whisper,
By all ye leave or do,
The silent, sullen peoples
Shall weigh your Gods and you.

[Amanda Baird]

https://www.commonlit.org/texts/if
I would use the poem “If” from this collection. The speaker takes a paternal tone as if imparting words of wisdom to a hypothetical son. Thus, the reader forms a relationship with the text as the poet conveys his advice to live a fuller life. This would be a good work to visit at the end of the year and I would pair it with Kelly Gallagher’s writing strategy “Unwritten Rules.” Students would create a list of unofficial rules that other students (possibly the incoming class?) should live by based on what they have learned, both in and out of school, throughout the school year. This activity allows students to reflect on their year and step into the role of mentor. By taking on this responsibility, they are also setting expectations and goals for their own future selves.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Obviously, I couldn't have read this particular publication, since this one was published quite a few years after I had been introduced to Rudyard Kipling's work, but this seems to be a worthy compilation of this extremely prodigious author. Kipling uses language with a simplicity that is beautiful and he's written so many different poems and stories that there's bound to be at least one that suits everyone's mood or taste.

[Mike Booth · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you look just at the poetry, this is a great collection. The cadence of each line and stanza flows easily almost without exception as you read, and there's some wonderful words used throughout. The rhymes are usually fairly sound and the use of accents and colloquialisms for different voices in the poems gives them different feelings and sentiments than the Queen's English would.
However, the content of some of the poems ifls not nearly so blameless. Kipling was an unapologetic Imperialist, and there are several in this collection that aren't the most comfortable to read, including the ode to fascism the White Man's Burden. Not all the poems are like this - even in Gunga Din, with its racist phrasing, the speaker admits that Gunga is a better man than he - but there are enough problematic ones that it's not a wonderful read cover-to-cover. I'm not one to advocate censoring, so I think it's important to include all his poems, including ones which are no longer acceptable (if they ever were), as it shows the state of society at the time and is an important - if not a nice - part of history. It should be noted so people who do not want to read such works can avoid them, however.
The poems appear to in what I assume is chronological order, as Kipling aged. There is a noticeable shift from a somewhat-glorifying aspect in the poems concerning war to a much bleaker, darker view as the World War hits, and his son died. I'm a big fan of war poetry as I find it to be some of the most evocative work ever written, and it's no different here - irrespective of his political and personal views, the man was an incredible author. Some of the later poems are wonderful, and I found the second half of the book more enjoyable the the first. There are still some gems in the first section - If, for example, is fantastic. The final poem is also wonderful, and a great closer to the book.
Overall, the issues I've explained earlier tainted the enjoyment of the collection for me, so I can't give it a full 5*. But for the calibre of penmanship, and the wonderful war poetry, it's a sold 4*.

[Chris Hinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew very little about Kipling except that history has found some of his pro-British sentiment problematic. In reading through this collection I certainly saw a great deal of war, of politics, of a vision of goodness and justice and masculinity that was unapologetic. The world described is full of suffering and danger and some hard virtues are needed to stand within it. I also saw more Christianity than I expected, a hard but worthy foundation.

"If" remains the most memorable. Its familiarity can make is feel cliched, but it continues to resonate: If you can keep your head when all men doubt you but make allowance for their doubting too.

Here's the last bit from "The Answer"

Whereat the withered flower, all content,
Died as they die whose days are innocent;
While he who questioned why the flower fell
Caught hold of God and saved his soul from Hell.

[Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kipling lived during a time when the "The sun never set on the British Empire." His worldview as an Englishman comes through in these poems. Some of the gender and racial terminology he used is off putting to modern sensitivities. Careful reading of these poems displays his critique of the views of his day. His abilities as a poet are limited. He often rhymes one word with the same word. Kipling was very skilled at using poetry to amuse, awaken emotions and provoke thoughtful reflection.

[Karysa]

What a mixed bag. I really haven't a clue how to rate this! It contains some of my favorite poems ever, such as "If," but there are quite a few obnoxiously imperialistic and racist poems. Of course, it is Kipling so I expected that. I do love that nearly all the poems rhyme though. And, one poem allowed me to understand an obscure reference in Gilmore Girls which I always love.

[John Geary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all books of poetry, this one contains many poems I thoroughly enjoyed; some I liked, and some that made MEGO (but NOT many).
I will say I prefer his poetry over his novels and short stories, but I enjoy them all. I just like his poetry best.
Favourites included “The Betrothed,” “Gunga Din,” “Mandalay,” “The Ladies,” and the incomparable “If-.”

[Ben U]

And for the little, little span
The dead are borne in mind,
Seek not to question other than
The books I leave behind


This was a good change of pace for me. I referenced the Kipling Society website several times for (1) the date a poem was written, and (2) some context. It's an excellent resource.

I will not give this a rating. I am unqualified.

[Arielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of this stuff is not for me but there were a few gems in here that still made the whole collection worth reading. Probably cliche to say I love "If" because it's famous but whatever, I love it and it's the entire reason I wanted to read more Kipling in the first place.

[Greg Fletcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a huge lover of poetry, but I realize that music is a form of poetry.....and I love music. I also enjoy Kipling.

[Rauni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poetry is not usually a literary genre I gravitate towards, but I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. A solid 3.5 stars.

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not gonna pretend I understood all these poems, but there are some gems in here for sure.

[Kevin Braswell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confounding reading from a complex individual. Definitely a jingoistic imperialist conservative but he writes in the voice of the Empire, like a British Mark Twain.

[J.E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did really enjoy this collection. Though there were not as many poems that I'd put among my favorites as I had hoped, for the majority of them, I was able to at least appreciate the work, if not admire it. Kipling has a wonderful way of making his form (which can seem rather redundant) able to fit in with just about any tone or topic. This is one I would suggest to anyone who enjoys poetry.

[PJ Wenzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the poetry I've read this year, this has been the best. The way he writes puts you in the scene. You feel as though the tiger could be ten feet from you, as if the battle was fresh in your own mind, as if the family thousands of miles away is your family. He plucks you from the 21st century and fills your mind with the emotion his world.

[Rocky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetry is not my normal thing, but I thought that Kipling was a good way to add some to my literary diet.

[Tyler Hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

IF is one of my favorite poems