Comments | _peter: If - Rudyard Kipling

_peter

If - Rudyard Kipling

Oct 12, 2007 16:03

For many years, my parents had this poem above their bed on a scroll of paper. I don't know who it belonged to or where it came from. I have always believed it to be my father's but I don't know. Either way, it is something that I have always associated with my father and the sort of man he is. I always remember this as some advice that he gave me ( Read more... )

Comments 5

aoife_lushon October 12 2007, 17:10:49 UTC

This actually really cheered me up, it's been one of my favourite poems since I was about 13 and I still know most of it off by heart. It's always a pleasure to realise that other people appreciate it as much as I do. And yes, I do realise that I'll never be a man or a son but it equally applies to women these days.

_peter October 15 2007, 14:23:15 UTC

Indeed it does. :) I think it works quite well as advice in any spectrum.

drabbit October 12 2007, 17:32:05 UTC

If is an amazing poem, yes. I'm not a big one for poetry (or art of any kind really) but every now and then you meet an amazing bit of work, and this always qualified for that.

_peter October 15 2007, 14:22:35 UTC

Even ignoring the poetry, the entire thing makes a lot of sense to me.

ribenademon October 13 2007, 10:50:08 UTC

Voted the nation's favourite poem in a BBC poll from a few years ago. It ain't bad at all :)