Monday, June 18, 2007

FATHERS DAY

The second of two poems I found in my fathers belongings...the first was Barefoot Boy...
This one works very well for Fathers Day and I have passed it on to my son, the Rip.

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!

RUDYARD KIPLING

6 comments:

GEWELS said...

Great minds think alike.
I found that poem yesterday (by Kipling, I believe) and thought about posting it for Father's day as well.
Nice job.

BTW- I believe you just may be weaving a wonderful blanket of love for Waterbaby. Don't worry there.

Barbara said...

Would Rip consider being a "guest Blogger"? I would love to hear what he has to say. Your kids have to know what a loving adoring father they have!

Akelamalu said...

This is a wonderful poem. Hope you had a happy father's day.

Mother of Invention said...

A great poem for passing on down. How is the Rip doing anyway? Of course, he'll appreciate this poem more when he's your age and passing it on down to his son.

kissyface said...

If you can do that, then 'you're a better man than I am, Gunga Din.'

bulletholes said...

Gewels- 'preciate the vote of confidence!

Barbara-I'm not sure that the Rip has even read a book in the last 10 years...he is not exactly Mr. KLitterate, although he liked my Sasquatch story and plan for peace.

Malu- I did!

mOM- The RIP is hangin' in there...

KF- yeah, if I could do any of that I would be right up there with Rikki-tiki-tavi, no?