Rudyard Kipling’s poem If was judged favourite in a poll conducted in the UK a few years ago. All Kipling’s poems talk of mastering adversity. André Maurois, a member of the French Academy, immortalized the poem by translating it into French and including it in his book Les silences du colonel Bramble. Kipling, Nobel Laureate for literature in 1907, expresses timeless values.

We no longer remember these values to-day but it does not mean they have lost their relevance. We respect money and equate it with success as a trend in life. We have no time to fathom the depths of some other dimensions but, once we do so, we start thinking we should have done it earlier. Kipling’s poem encapsulates his philosophy in a readable form.

Shakespeare was not a member of the elite, but he wrote plays to packed audiences. Milton was active in political life and not only wrote Paradise Lost but also the wonderful “Avenge O Lord, these slaughtered saints”.

Richard Wagner, an influential German composer, when introduced to the works of the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, called the happening the most important event of his life and that influence went a long way towards making him an icon in Europe. Even to-day Venetian gondoliers sing his La donna e mobile, and London’s taxi drivers whistle romantic tunes.

Shakespeare, Milton, Wagner and Kipling are minds, which possess strength and simplicity in abundance it seems. Simple but strong! We reproduce Kipling’s poem that won the UK poll.

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

<B>Ramkissoon Jeetah</B>