A Hymn Before Action

Kipling Songs.

Joseph Rudyard Kipling , is one of the greatest English language poets of all time. Along with The American Poet Edgar Allen Poe, the Primary influences upon my Poetry and Lyrics.

These versions of two of my personal favorites are in honor of this Amazing poet.

A Hymn Before Action

By

Joseph Rudyard Kipling

December ,30 1865 - January 18, 1936

The Earth is full of anger,
   The seas are dark with wrath,
The Nations in their harness
   Go up against our path:
Ere yet we loose the legions—
   Ere yet we draw the blade,
Jehovah of the Thunders,
   Lord God of Battles, aid!
2
High lust and froward bearing,
   Proud heart, rebellious brow—
Deaf ear and soul uncaring,
   We seek Thy mercy now!
The sinner that forswore Thee,
   The fool that passed Thee by,
Our times are known before Thee—
   Lord, grant us strength to die!
3
For those who kneel beside us
   At altars not Thine own,
Who lack the lights that guide us,
   Lord, let their faith atone.
If wrong we did to call them,
   By honour bound they came;
Let not Thy Wrath befall them,
   But deal to us the blame.
4
From panic, pride, and terror,
   Revenge that knows no rein,
Light haste and lawless error,
   Protect us yet again.
Cloke Thou our undeserving,
   Make firm the shuddering breath,
In silence and unswerving
   To taste Thy lesser death!
5
Ah, Mary pierced with sorrow,
   Remember, reach and save
The soul that comes to-morrow
   Before the God that gave!
Since each was born of woman,
   For each at utter need—
True comrade and true foeman—
   Madonna, intercede!
6
E’en now their vanguard gathers,
   E’en now we face the fray—
As Thou didst help our fathers,
   Help Thou our host to-day!
Fulfilled of signs and wonders,
   In life, in death made clear—
Jehovah of the Thunders,
   Lord God of Battles, hear!

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 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 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!

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