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Post by garret on Jun 13, 2012 19:46:37 GMT -7
one of my favourite poems, i first heared it from my grandfather when he read it to me when i was about 7
Rudyard Kipling
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 worn-out 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!
the bold is my emphasis, showing my favourite part of the poem
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Post by thywar on Jun 13, 2012 19:51:00 GMT -7
He was incredible and there are so many great works of his. Thanks for sharing this one.. it is definitely a great one.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2012 0:16:18 GMT -7
Excellent read...thank you for sharing.
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Post by geron on Jun 14, 2012 3:12:48 GMT -7
It's been a while since I read that on. Should be set to memory. . . . not likely at my age though.
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Post by thywar on Jun 14, 2012 5:46:22 GMT -7
Geron, I was wondering if you have a collection of his works. The other day between you and MissJ and others on here we were discussing books to have on hand after SHTF.. I think these types of books are also critical to have as well. Who's going to teach the kids these great works of literature? I managed to pick up about 80-90 Louis L'Amour books at an estate sale (for $20) and I'm going back through them. I read all of his books in the 80s.. and in almost every book they talk about how few books are around and how reading was an every night family doings. That might be how we pass our evenings when TV and computers no longer function.
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Post by thywar on Jun 14, 2012 6:00:14 GMT -7
PS.. and I wish I could memorize Gunga Din, by Rudyard Kipling. Great poem and great movie..
Gunga Din
YOU may talk o' gin an' beer When you're quartered safe out 'ere, An' you're sent to penny-fights an' Aldershot it; But if it comes to slaughter
You will do your work on water, An' you'll lick the bloomin' boots of 'im that's got it. Now in Injia's sunny clime, Where I used to spend my time
A-servin' of 'Er Majesty the Queen, Of all them black-faced crew The finest man I knew Was our regimental bhisti, Gunga Din.
It was "Din! Din! Din! You limping lump o' brick-dust, Gunga Din! Hi! slippy hitherao! Water, get it! Panee lao!
You squidgy-nosed old idol, Gunga Din!" The uniform 'e wore Was nothin' much before, An' rather less than 'arf o' that be'ind,
For a twisty piece o' rag An' a goatskin water-bag Was all the field-equipment 'e could find. When the sweatin' troop-train lay
In a sidin' through the day, Where the 'eat would make your bloomin' eyebrows crawl, We shouted "Harry By!" Till our throats were bricky-dry,
Then we wopped 'im 'cause 'e couldn't serve us all. It was "Din! Din! Din! You 'eathen, where the mischief 'ave you been? You put some juldee in it,
Or I'll marrow you this minute If you don't fill up my helmet, Gunga Din!" 'E would dot an' carry one Till the longest day was done,
An' 'e didn't seem to know the use o' fear. If we charged or broke or cut, You could bet your bloomin' nut, 'E'd be waitin' fifty paces right flank rear.
With 'is mussick on 'is back, 'E would skip with our attack, An' watch us till the bugles made "Retire." An' for all 'is dirty 'ide,
'E was white, clear white, inside When 'e went to tend the wounded under fire! It was "Din! Din! Din!" With the bullets kickin' dust-spots on the green.
When the cartridges ran out, You could 'ear the front-files shout: "Hi! ammunition-mules an' Gunga Din!" I sha'n't forgit the night
When I dropped be'ind the fight With a bullet where my belt-plate should 'a' been. I was chokin' mad with thirst, An' the man that spied me first
Was our good old grinnin', gruntin' Gunga Din. 'E lifted up my 'ead, An' 'e plugged me where I bled, An' 'e guv me 'arf-a-pint o' water—green;
It was crawlin' an' it stunk, But of all the drinks I've drunk, I'm gratefullest to one from Gunga Din. It was "Din! Din! Din!
'Ere's a beggar with a bullet through 'is spleen; 'E's chawin' up the ground an' 'e's kickin' all around: For Gawd's sake, git the water, Gunga Din!" 'E carried me away
To where a dooli lay, An' a bullet come an' drilled the beggar clean. 'E put me safe inside, An' just before 'e died:
"I 'ope you liked your drink," sez Gunga Din. So I'll meet 'im later on In the place where 'e is gone— Where it's always double drill and no canteen;
'E'll be squattin' on the coals Givin' drink to pore damned souls, An' I'll get a swig in Hell from Gunga Din! Din! Din! Din!
You Lazarushian-leather Gunga Din! Tho' I've belted you an' flayed you, By the livin' Gawd that made you, You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!
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Post by garret on Jun 14, 2012 6:31:47 GMT -7
another excellent poem, i can still see my grandfather in his jungle khakis and pith helmet (he served in singapore and then spent 3.5 years in a pow camp in burma working on the railway) when he was liberated (by aussies of all people lol) he went to a recovery hospice in cairo and the picture i have is of him sitting in a deckchair drinking ice cold beer
kipling is his favourite author followed closely by robert frost
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Post by geron on Jun 14, 2012 8:20:48 GMT -7
Geron, I was wondering if you have a collection of his works. The other day between you and MissJ and others on here we were discussing books to have on hand after SHTF.. I think these types of books are also critical to have as well. Who's going to teach the kids these great works of literature? I managed to pick up about 80-90 Louis L'Amour books at an estate sale (for $20) and I'm going back through them. I read all of his books in the 80s.. and in almost every book they talk about how few books are around and how reading was an every night family doings. That might be how we pass our evenings when TV and computers no longer function. No, I don't. Wish I did. Just have various anthologies that include many of his works. 28 vols of his complete works but I believe there's a free ebook manybooks.net/titles/kiplingretext001vkip11.html
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Post by rickL675 on Jun 14, 2012 10:12:56 GMT -7
Both are such great poems. Thanks for posting them.
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Post by Cwi555 on Jun 14, 2012 17:36:22 GMT -7
Kipling was an excellent writer. Maybe there are some writers among this crowd that would care to share some of their work?
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Post by orly152 on Jun 15, 2012 15:35:35 GMT -7
Thanks for sharing that....I really enjoyed reading it.
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Post by pathwinder14 on Jun 20, 2012 10:41:48 GMT -7
If you think you are beaten, you are; If you think you dare not, you don't. If you'd like to win, but think you can't It's almost a cinch you won't.
If you think you'll lose, you've lost. For out in the world we find Success begins with a fellow's will: It's all in his state of mind.
If you think you're outclassed, you are: You've got to think high to rise, You've got to be sure of yourself before You'll ever win that prize.
Life's battles don't always go To the stronger or faster man, But sooner or later the man who wins Is the one who thinks he can.
Attributed to Author Napoleon Hill circa 1973
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Post by lonewufcry on Jun 20, 2012 10:48:49 GMT -7
thanks for the poems. I agree having books like these will help in a shtf situation
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Post by COB on Jun 24, 2012 13:32:50 GMT -7
Don't Quit!
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is ***** with its twists and turns, As every one of us sometimes learns, And many a failure turns about, When he might have won had he stuck it out; Don't give up though the pace seems slow-- You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than, It seems to a faint and faltering man, Often the struggler has given up, When he might have captured the victor's cup, And he learned too late when the night slipped down, How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out-- The silver tint of the clouds of doubt, And you never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems so far, So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-- It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.
- Author unknown
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