This poem outlines the qualities of a man who can remain calm and virtuous when facing adversity, doubt, lies and loss. It describes a man who can accept both triumph and disaster equally without complaint, rebuild after having his work destroyed, and continue on even when exhausted of resources except his will. Such a man, it says, will have command of the earth and all in it, and be truly considered a man.

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2. If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

3. If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you but make allowance for their doubting too,

4. If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don¹t deal in lies, Or being hated, don¹t give way to hating And yet not look too good, nor talk too wise:

5. If you can dream - but not make dreams your master ,

6. If you can think - but not make thoughts your aim;

7. If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two imposters just the same;

8. If you can bear to hear the truth you¹ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build them up with worn-out tools

9. If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss;

10. 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!

11. If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings, yet not lose the common touch,

12. If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much,

13. If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds¹ worth of distance run Yours is the Earth and everything in it, And, what is more, you¹ll be a Man, my son! Rudyard Kipling

14. by Charlotte Saturday 27 February 2010 - 11:55 Music – Toscana Magic Have a great day!