Everything that is built needs a plan or guide. Rudyard Kipling provided a blueprint for living a stellar life in his poem “If” written in 1895. The astounding aspect of the poem comes from the applicability of his rules in today’s society.
The purpose of the poem “If”
Kipling wrote the poem as if it were talking to his son. He gives advice to help the young man to find his place in the world and to live with integrity and dignity. The speaker talks to the person in second person. This encourages the reader to place himself in the place of the son. If a person takes to heart Kipling’s advice, he will find himself in a happier world each day.
The format
The poem has thirty-two lines with four stanzas. His first stanza follows the rhyming pattern: AAAABCBC. The three other verses use the pattern: ABABCDCD. Notice also that the poem is one long sentence with the thoughts separated by semi-colons.
The summary
1st Stanza
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
Self-control is the purpose of this verse. Try to keep a clear head and do not become bitter when people speak against you. Have patience in your daily life. Be honest and avoid dealing in emotions that work against you. Do not try to look or act better than other people.
2nd Stanza
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
Shakespeare said: “We are the masters of our fate…” This verse reinforces this idea. Dream and ponder life. However, always be in control. Nothing should ever control you.
There are two opposing poles in life: winning and losing [triumph and disaster]. A person must be just as graceful in losing as he is in winning. It is playing the game to the best of your ability that is most important.
Life is not always easy. When you have done something really well and it is broken beyond your control, you must begin again using whatever means that you can find.
3rd Stanza
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
Sometimes it is necessary to take chances. In your risks in life, you may lose. Start over and do not talk about it. When you are at the end of your life and your body no longer acts as it once did, never give up the will to go on.
4th Stanza
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run –
A person should be able to communicate with ordinary people and with kings as well. Never forget who you are. Do not allow outside forces to infiltrate your spirit. Do not give yourself over to man completely. No one needs to shoulder completely the woes of other men. Never waste time. Fill every minute of each day with life, love, and work. If you can do these things, the world is your oyster. In addition, you will be a man among men.
