Skip directly to:Main content Main navigation

University of Virginia Library

Rudyard Kipling's Verse

Definitive Edition

Kipling, Rudyard (1865-1936)

collapse section

PRELUDE (To “Departmental Ditties”)

A GENERAL SUMMARY

ARMY HEADQUARTERS

STUDY OF AN ELEVATION, IN INDIAN INK

A LEGEND OF THE FOREIGN OFFICE

THE STORY OF URIAH

THE POST THAT FITTED

A CODE OF MORALS

THE MAN WHO COULD WRITE

THE LAST DEPARTMENT

TO THE UNKNOWN GODDESS

THE RUPAIYAT OF OMAR KAL'VIN

LA NUIT BLANCHE

THE LOVERS' LITANY

A BALLADE OF BURIAL

THE OVERLAND MAIL

DIVIDED DESTINIES

collapse section

THE MASQUE OF PLENTY

Chorus of the Crystallised Facts

THE MARE'S NEST

THE BALLAD OF FISHER'S BOARDING-HOUSE

ARITHMETIC ON THE FRONTIER

THE SONG OF THE WOMEN

A BALLADE OF JAKKO HILL

THE PLEA OF THE SIMLA DANCERS

“AS THE BELL CLINKS”

CHRISTMAS IN INDIA

THE GRAVE OF THE HUNDRED HEAD

CERTAIN MAXIMS OF HAFIZ

THE MOON OF OTHER DAYS

THE FALL OF JOCK GILLESPIE

WHAT THE PEOPLE SAID

THE UNDERTAKER'S HORSE

ONE VICEROY RESIGNS

THE GALLEY-SLAVE

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

L'ENVOI (to Departmental Ditties)

DEDICATION FROM “BARRACK-ROOM BALLADS”

TO THE TRUE ROMANCE

SESTINA OF THE TRAMP-ROYAL

SONG OF THE WISE CHILDREN

BUDDHA AT KAMAKURA

THE GREEK NATIONAL ANTHEM

THE SONG OF THE BANJO

THE SPIES' MARCH

THE PRO-CONSULS

THE RUNNERS Indian Frontier, 1904

THE SEA AND THE HILLS

THE RHYME OF THE THREE SEALERS

McANDREW'S HYMN

MULHOLLAND'S CONTRACT

THE “MARY GLOSTER”

THE BALLAD OF THE “BOLIVAR”

THE BALLAD OF THE “CLAMPHERDOWN”

A SONG IN STORM

THE MERCHANTMEN

THE SONG OF DIEGO VALDEZ

THE SECOND VOYAGE

THE OLDEST SONG

THE LINER SHE'S A LADY

THE FIRST CHANTEY

THE LAST CHANTEY

THE EXILES' LINE

IN THE MATTER OF ONE COMPASS

AVE IMPERATRIX!

collapse section

A SONG OF THE ENGLISH

[Fair is our lot—O goodly is our heritage!]

THE COASTWISE LIGHTS

collapse section

THE SONG OF THE DEAD

II.

THE DEEP-SEA CABLES

THE SONG OF THE SONS

THE SONG OF THE CITIES

ENGLAND'S ANSWER

TO THE CITY OF BOMBAY

THE GIPSY TRAIL

OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS

THE YOUNG QUEEN

MELBOURNE SHRINE OF REMEMBRANCE

THE NATIVE-BORN

THE LOST LEGION

THE IRISH GUARDS

PHARAOH AND THE SERGEANT

THE LAST OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE

KITCHENER'S SCHOOL

BRIDGE-GUARD IN THE KARROO

RHODES MEMORIAL, TABLE MOUNTAIN

THINGS AND THE MAN

DIRGE OF DEAD SISTERS

THE ENGLISH FLAG

WHEN EARTH'S LAST PICTURE IS PAINTED

THE BALLAD OF THE RED EARL

THE BALLAD OF EAST AND WEST

THE LAST SUTTEE

GENERAL JOUBERT

THE BALLAD OF THE KING'S MERCY

THE BALLAD OF THE KING'S JEST

WITH SCINDIA TO DELHI

THE DOVE OF DACCA

THE BALLAD OF BOH DA THONE

THE SACRIFICE OF ER-HEB

THE LAMENT OF THE BORDER CATTLE THIEF

THE FEET OF THE YOUNG MEN

A BOY SCOUTS' PATROL SONG

THE TRUCE OF THE BEAR

RUSSIA TO THE PACIFISTS

THE PEACE OF DIVES

A SONG OF THE WHITE MEN

AN IMPERIAL RESCRIPT

ET DONA FERENTES

“BEFORE A MIDNIGHT BREAKS IN STORM”

THE DECLARATION OF LONDON

THE WAGE-SLAVES

THE SONG OF THE LATHES

THE SONG OF THE OLD GUARD

“THE CITY OF BRASS”

THE WHITE MAN'S BURDEN

HYMN BEFORE ACTION

A SONG AT COCK-CROW

“FOR ALL WE HAVE AND ARE”

THE THREE-DECKER

THE RHYME OF THE THREE CAPTAINS

THE CONUNDRUM OF THE WORKSHOPS

EVARRA AND HIS GODS

THE BENEFACTORS

IN THE NEOLITHIC AGE

NATURAL THEOLOGY

THE STORY OF UNG

“WHEN 'OMER SMOTE 'IS BLOOMIN' LYRE”

THE LEGENDS OF EVIL

VERSES ON GAMES

THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES

A RECANTATION (TO LYDE OF THE MUSIC HALLS)

THE EXPLANATION

A PILGRIM'S WAY

THE GIFT OF THE SEA

THE LAST RHYME OF TRUE THOMAS

THE SONS OF MARTHA

HYMN OF BREAKING STRAIN

collapse section

EPITAPHS OF THE WAR

“EQUALITY OF SACRIFICE”

HINDU SEPOY IN FRANCE

A GRAVE NEAR CAIRO

PELICANS IN THE WILDERNESS

TWO CANADIAN MEMORIALS

R.A.F. (AGED EIGHTEEN)

THE REFINED MAN

NATIVE WATER-CARRIER (M.E.F.)

BOMBED IN LONDON

THE SLEEPY SENTINEL

BATTERIES OUT OF AMMUNITION

A DEAD STATESMAN

THE OBEDIENT

A DRIFTER OFF TARENTUM

DESTROYERS IN COLLISION

UNKNOWN FEMALE CORPSE

RAPED AND REVENGED

SALONIKAN GRAVE

V.A.D. (MEDITERRANEAN)

TO THOMAS ATKINS

“FUZZY-WUZZY”

SOLDIER, SOLDIER

“SNARLEYOW”

THE WIDOW AT WINDSOR

THE YOUNG BRITISH SOLDIER

THE WIDOW'S PARTY

FORD O' KABUL RIVER

GENTLEMEN-RANKERS

PRIVATE ORTHERIS'S SONG

“BACK TO THE ARMY AGAIN”

“BIRDS OF PREY” MARCH

“SOLDIER AN' SAILOR TOO”

“THE MEN THAT FOUGHT AT MINDEN”

THE MOTHER-LODGE

“FOLLOW ME 'OME”

THE SERGEANT'S WEDDIN'

THE SHUT-EYE SENTRY

“MARY, PITY WOMEN!”

“FOR TO ADMIRE”

“THE SERVICE MAN”

THE ABSENT-MINDED BEGGAR

THE PARTING OF THE COLUMNS

THE MARRIED MAN

HALF-BALLADE OF WATERVAL

“WILFUL-MISSING”

“CITIES AND THRONES AND POWERS”

THE WAY THROUGH THE WOODS

A THREE-PART SONG

THE RUN OF THE DOWNS

THE SACK OF THE GODS

SIR RICHARD'S SONG

collapse section

CHAPTER HEADINGS

His Wedded Wife.

In the Pride of his Youth.

Tods' Amendment.

By Word of Mouth.

The Conversion of Aurelian McGoggin.

The Rout of the White Hussars.

The Bronckhorst Divorce Case.

In the House of Suddhoo.

Cupid's Arrows.

The Rescue of Pluffles.

His Chance in Life.

The Taking of Lungtungpen.

A Germ-Destroyer.

The Broken-Link Handicap.

The Bisara of Pooree.

A SONG OF KABIR

“MY NEW-CUT ASHLAR”

“NON NOBIS DOMINE!”

OUR LADY OF THE SACKCLOTH

THE LEGEND OF MIRTH

SHIV AND THE GRASSHOPPER

THE FAIRIES' SIEGE

A SONG TO MITHRAS

THE NEW KNIGHTHOOD

OUTSONG IN THE JUNGLE

HARP SONG OF THE DANE WOMEN

THE THOUSANDTH MAN

A ST. HELENA LULLABY

collapse section

CHAPTER HEADINGS

[There was a strife 'twixt man and maid—]

[Beware the man who's crossed in love]

[Your patience, Sirs. The Devil took me up]

[Now it is not good for the Christian's health to hustle the Aryan brown]

[There is pleasure in the wet, wet clay]

[We meet in an evil land]

[This I saw when the rites were done]

[Beat off in our last fight were we?]

[Because I sought it far from men]

[We be the Gods of the East—]

[Will they gape for the husks that ye proffer]

collapse section

[CHAPTER HEADINGS]

[So we settled it all when the storm was done]

[Then we brought the lances down—then the trumpets blew—]

[The wolf-cub at even lay hid in the corn]

[“I have a thousand men,” said he]

[“If I have taken the common clay]

[The lark will make her hymn to God]

[There were three friends that buried the fourth]

[Yet at the last, ere our spearmen had found him]

THE BEES AND THE FLIES

ROAD-SONG OF THE BANDAR-LOG

“OUR FATHERS ALSO”

A BRITISH-ROMAN SONG

“POOR HONEST MEN”

“WHEN THE GREAT ARK”

PROPHETS AT HOME

JUBAL AND TUBAL CAIN

THE VOORTREKKER

THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE

“A SERVANT WHEN HE REIGNETH”

MACDONOUGH'S SONG

“OUR FATHERS OF OLD”

collapse section

CHAPTER HEADINGS

Pigs and Buffaloes.

[The beasts are very wise]

collapse section

[CHAPTER HEADINGS]

The Return of Imray.

Without Benefit of Clergy.

The Head of the District.

The Man Who Was.

At the End of the Passage.

collapse section

[CHAPTER HEADINGS]

[Unto whose use the pregnant suns are poised]

collapse section

[CHAPTER HEADINGS]

My Lord the Elephant.

collapse section

[CHAPTER HEADINGS]

The Ship that Found Herself.

collapse section

[CHAPTER HEADINGS]

[All the world over, nursing their scars]

[Put forth to watch, unschooled, alone]

collapse section

[CHAPTER HEADINGS]

[Farewell and adieu to you, Harwich Ladies]

SONG OF THE FIFTH RIVER

THE CHILDREN'S SONG

collapse section

PARADE-SONG OF THE CAMP-ANIMALS

ELEPHANTS OF THE GUN-TEAMS

SCREW-GUN MULES

COMMISSARIAT CAMELS

ALL THE BEASTS TOGETHER

THE PRODIGAL SON

THE NECESSITARIAN

A SONG OF TRAVEL

THE TWO-SIDED MAN

HORACE, Bk. V. Ode 3

AN ASTROLOGER'S SONG

“THE POWER OF THE DOG”

THE RABBI'S SONG

THE BEE-BOY'S SONG

THE SONG OF SEVEN CITIES

THE RETURN OF THE CHILDREN

TO JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY

OLD MOTHER LAIDINWOOL

collapse section

[CHAPTER HEADINGS]

How the Whale Got his Throat.

How the Camel Got his Hump.

How the Leopard Got his Spots.

The Elephant's Child.

The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo.

The Beginning of the Armadilloes.

The Crab that Played with the Sea.

The Cat that Walked by Himself.

How the Rhinoceros got his Skin.

The Butterfly that Stamped.

THE LOOKING-GLASS

THE QUEEN'S MEN

A PAGEANT OF ELIZABETH

THE CITY OF SLEEP

“HELEN ALL ALONE”

THE PRAYER OF MIRIAM COHEN

THE SONG OF THE LITTLE HUNTER

collapse section

Act II. Scene 2

Act IV. Scene 4

THE WISHING-CAPS

“BY THE HOOF OF THE WILD GOAT”

SONG OF THE RED WAR-BOAT

MORNING SONG IN THE JUNGLE

THE NURSING SISTER

THE LOVE SONG OF HAR DYAL

A DEDICATION (To “Soldiers Three”)

MOWGLI'S SONG AGAINST PEOPLE

ROMULUS AND REMUS

collapse section

CHAPTER HEADINGS

Mowgli's Brothers.

“Tiger-Tiger!”

Letting in the Jungle.

The King's Ankus.

The Spring Running.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi.

The White Seal.

The White Seal.

Toomai of the Elephants.

The Undertakers.

The Miracle of Purun Bhagat.

“THE TRADE”

THE KING'S TASK

THE LOWESTOFT BOAT

A TRUTHFUL SONG

A SMUGGLER'S SONG

KING HENRY VII. AND THE SHIPWRIGHTS

THE BALLAD OF MINEPIT SHAW

FRANKIE'S TRADE

THE JUGGLER'S SONG

THE NORTH SEA PATROL

THORKILD'S SONG

“ANGUTIVAUN TAINA”

HUNTING-SONG OF THE SEEONEE PACK

SONG OF THE MEN'S SIDE

THE RUNES ON WELAND'S SWORD

DARZEE'S CHAUNT

SONG OF THE GALLEY-SLAVES

THE FOUR ANGELS

collapse section

THE MUSE AMONG THE MOTORS 1900–1930

CARMEN CIRCULARE

THE ADVERTISEMENT

THE JUSTICE'S TALE

THE CONSOLATIONS OF MEMORY (Circa 1904)

THE FOUR POINTS

TO A LADY, PERSUADING HER TO A CAR

THE PROGRESS OF THE SPARK (XVIth Circuit)

“WHEN THE JOURNEY WAS INTENDED TO THE CITY”

LADY GERALDINE'S HARDSHIP

THE DYING CHAUFFEUR

THE BALLAD OF THE CARS

A CHILD'S GARDEN

collapse section

THE MARRÈD DRIVES OF WINDSOR

PREFACE BY SAMUEL JOHNSON

I.

II.

III.

collapse section

SONGS WRITTEN FOR C. R. L. FLETCHER'S “A HISTORY OF ENGLAND”

THE RIVER'S TALE

THE ROMAN CENTURION'S SONG

THE PIRATES IN ENGLAND

NORMAN AND SAXON

THE REEDS OF RUNNYMEDE

MY FATHER'S CHAIR

WITH DRAKE IN THE TROPICS

THE DUTCH IN THE MEDWAY

“BROWN BESS”

THE AMERICAN REBELLION

THE FRENCH WARS

THE SECRET OF THE MACHINES

THE BELLS AND QUEEN VICTORIA

THE GLORY OF THE GARDEN

collapse section

VERSES FROM “LAND AND SEA TALES” 1919–1923

THE JUNK AND THE DHOW

THE MASTER-COOK

THE HOUR OF THE ANGEL

A COUNTING-OUT SONG

collapse section

VERSES FROM “DEBITS AND CREDITS” 1919–1926

THE CHANGELINGS

“BANQUET NIGHT”

TO THE COMPANIONS

“LATE CAME THE GOD”

JANE'S MARRIAGE

ALNASCHAR AND THE OXEN

A LEGEND OF TRUTH

THE LAST ODE: NOV. 27, 8 B.C.

collapse section

VERSES FROM “LIMITS AND RENEWALS”

GERTRUDE'S PRAYER

DINAH IN HEAVEN

THE MOTHER'S SON

AT HIS EXECUTION

SONG OF SEVENTY HORSES

HYMN TO PHYSICAL PAIN

collapse section

MISCELLANEOUS VERSE

THE GODS OF THE COPYBOOK HEADINGS

THE CLERKS AND THE BELLS

A RECTOR'S MEMORY

A SONG OF FRENCH ROADS

CHARTRES WINDOWS

THE KING'S PILGRIMAGE

A SONG IN THE DESERT

collapse section

BRAZILIAN VERSES

A SONG OF BANANAS

SONG OF THE DYNAMO

“SUCH AS IN SHIPS”

“POISON OF ASPS”

“VERY MANY PEOPLE”

SUPPLICATION OF THE BLACK ABERDEEN

“HIS APOLOGIES”

HYMN OF THE TRIUMPHANT AIRMAN

THE ENGLISH WAY

THE KING AND THE SEA

collapse section

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

THE OBEDIENT

Daily, though no ears attended,
Did my prayers arise.
Daily, though no fire descended,
Did I sacrifice.
Though my darkness did not lift,
Though I faced no lighter odds,
Though the Gods bestowed no gift,
None the less,
None the less, I served the Gods!