Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, RECRUITING SONG, by MICHAEL FOSTER (20TH CENTURY)


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RECRUITING SONG, by            
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!





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