Classic and Contemporary Poetry
RECRUITING SONG, by MICHAEL FOSTER (20TH CENTURY) First Line: If you can keep your head when all about you Last Line: And which is more you're welcome to it, son! Subject(s): Kipling, Rudyard (1865-1936); Military Recruitment | ||||||||
If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and aiming things at you; If you can leave a class to work without you And guarantee they'll keep hard at it, too; If you can mark and not grow tired of marking, Of counting money, writing your Reports; If you can stand the end-of-term sky-larking, And still have spirit left to watch the Sports; If you can talk, nor lose your voice with talking, Give punishments without a biased mind; If you can stop an idle mob from squawking At every doubtful meaning they can find; If you can dream and not make dreams your master; Or talk with Heads nor lose the common touch; If you can save your subject from disaster By tactfully not plugging it too much; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted and laughed at by moronic fools; If you're prepared to watch equipment broken By 'scholars' who have scant regard for rules; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With ninety seconds' worth of distance run, Teaching's for you, and everything that's in it, And which is more you're welcome to it, son! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...PEACE AND WAR by ELIZABETH SEWELL HILL A FINE SUMMER MORNING by CARROLL RYAN CAMP ECHOES by MARGARET ELIZABETH MUNSON SANGSTER APPROACH OF WINTER by WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS THE POET AND THE BABY by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR THE PAST by RALPH WALDO EMERSON THE SUPERSEDED by THOMAS HARDY WITH AN ALBUM by WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR A TERRE (BEING THE PHILOSOPHY OF MANY SOLDIERS) by WILFRED OWEN |
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