INSPIRATIONAL POEM: IF BY RUDYARD KIPLING Abstract

Poem is an expression. As people want to share their feelings or thoughts, they use varied media, and poem is one of them. Inspirational poem is not exactly a branch of poem. Its a poem that share inspirational thoughts from its poets. The poems usually strong in nature, often able to influence its readers thoughts and feelings. As stated in the old saying, word is a powerful weapon. And poem, in its beauty, is all the more powerful.

1. Introduction Rudyard Kiplings works have long been known for its inspirational values. Among those poems, one is exceptionally stood out that its being picked for this particular research assignment on inspirational poem. If, hence the title of the poem, focus on the conditional case in which the narrator of the poem (most probably a fatherly figure in notion of the tone) giving advice on qualities people should have in order to gain self-improvement. Joseph Rudyard Kipling was born on December 30th, 1865, in Bombay but moved to England when he was five years old. An English writer of poem, shortstory, novel, and children tales, in 1907, Kipling received Noble Prize for literature. His best known works including The Jungle Book (1902), Just So Stories (1894), Kim (1901), Mandalay (1890) a poem, Gunga Din (1890) a poem, The White Mans Burden (1899) a poem, and If (1910).1 Kiplings narrative gift was his strength, as stated by Henry James, Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius (as distinct from fine intelligence) that I have ever known.
2. If

If by Rudyard Kipling 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;
1

Allen, Charles. 2007. Kipling Sahib: India and the Making of Rudyard Kipling. Abacus.

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 imposters 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 wornout 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 breath 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!
2.1 If: Analysis per Stanza

1st Stanza

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; 2

Stanza one, from If you can keep your head until And yet dont look too good, nor talk too wise, is talking about calmness, faith, patience, and humbleness. They are represented in each lines, If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you; represents calmness, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you but make allowance for their doubting too represents faith in oneself, If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, or being lied about dont deal in lies, or being hated dont give way to hating represents patience, and And yet dont look too good nor talk too wise represents humbleness. All the four qualities are rare qualities. It goes back to the essential values of the poem, an advice of human qualities people should obtain. 2nd Stanza 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 imposters 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 wornout tools;

The second stanza, meanwhile, is presenting advice on another level. It depicts of how people should dream yet not letting their dreams blind them from reality (If you can dream and not make dreams your master), how people should never giver up whether they meet triumph or disaster (If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same), how people should learn to control their anger in the face of trial (If you can bear to hear the truth youve spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools), and how people should continue trying even if they fall (Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, and stoop and buldem up with wornout tools).If the second stanza is basically giving the readers further qualities that born from qualities mentioned in the first stanza. 3rd Stanza 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 breath 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"; 3

The third stanza tells the readers of a willingness for taking risks to achieve one goal, not giving up in the face of loss, and had everythings one got for the purpose of reaching the desired end, even if willpower is the only thing that is left. 4th Stanza 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 last stanzathe conclusion, the peak. If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or talk with Kingsnor lose the common touch depicts the example of strong ideals or personality: you can talk with crowds yet still keeping your own virtue, you can talk with Kings without losing your common touchindividuals with no strong ideals or personality wouldnt be able to do any of that. If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; if all men count with you, but none too much possibly tells about formidable principle and good social skill. Neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you is clearly impossible without a strong principle, and no man can count on you but none too much if one doesnt have a good social skill. If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run, yours is the Earth and everything thats in it; Andwhich is more youll be a Man my son! the two lines are the peak of the poem, the conclusion. Here the readers are being presented with their gain; if you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run, yours is the Earth and everything thats in it, when one is able to enjoy every second in his/her life despite all their effort to reach their goal, then theyll have something precious and immeasurable in return (yours is the Earth and everything thats in it). Andwhich is moreyoull be a Man my son! there the conclusion. Noted the capital M, it signifies the extraordinary quality of an individual. Here all the other ifs meet their purpose, to become an exceptional personage; to become a real man (and woman).
2.2 If: Rhyme

There are definitely rhymes in this poem. In the first stanza, which consists of eight lines, the rhymes meet the pattern of A-A-A-A-B-C-B-C. 4

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;

A A A A B C B C

In the second stanza of eight lines, it meets the pattern of:

If you can dreamand not make dreams your master; If you can thinkand not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two imposters just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken F 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 wornout tools;

D E D E G F G

Of the third stanza, still consists of eight lines:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings H And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breath 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";K

I H I J K J

While for the last stanza: 5

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; L 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, Andwhich is moreyou'll be a Man my son!

L M M N O N O

The rhyme pattern for this poem is neatly structured. Excluding the first until the fourth line of the first stanza, rhyme patterns for the rest of the stanzas are constant, meeting the basic rhyme pattern of A-B-A-B. The presence of the rhyme adds a lyrical quality to the poem.
2.3 If: Diction

One of among interested things about the poem is that it uses simple language to address its audiences. There are now flowery words, and only minimal symbolism (each line of the poem is symbolism, like the Earth and everything thats in it symbolize something very precious). The languages being used is conversational, simple, yet beautiful. This kind of arrangement is very useful in emphasizing the meanings and values of the poem. Instead of captivating the readers with abstract words and concept, it strikes right through and settled inside the mind. 3. Conclusion If is a great, clear example of inspirational poem. The meanings and values, rhymes that provide easier reading experience, and simple choice of words; all emphasize If as good inspirational poem that is not only give its readers a glimpse of beauty from the poetry world, but also strong moral values that make one a worthy human being. 4. References Allen, Charles. 2007. Kipling Sahib: India and the Making of Rudyard Kipling. Abacus. www.poemhunter.com