If by Rudyard Kipling - Read by Sir Michael Caine

Sir Michael Caine's rendition of his favorite poem, "IF" by Rudyard Kipling. Kindly overlook the missing 20 seconds and focus on the overall meaning of this eternal verse. It brings together all the virtues of life: perseverance, humility, and integrity, in a way as to create the ultimate dose of inspiration.

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:

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!

#InspirationalPoetry
#PoetryWithMusic

[timacoata]

My dad, gave this poem to me for my 12th birthday . I wasn’t to thrilled being 12 getting a poem on a plaque, but it was from my dad who I looked up to. Seven months later he was killed in Vietnam on his second tour. After I was told by my mom I cried till I couldn’t cry anymore and walked to my drawer removed the poem from its box and put it on my wall . I’ve never taken it down and have tried to live up to those words . Thanks dad.

[dorothysmith]

My sixth grade teacher, Mr. Burke, made the whole class memorize this poem. 55 years later I can still recite it. Knowing these words has gotten me through life, even though I am a woman.

[johncavedo]

My Dad, born in 1911, told me of this poem when I was about 16. He carried it on a small piece of paper folded in his wallet. I found it when he died in 1986 and have kept it. I shared with my two sons when they were in their late teens and next week, at my only grandson’s wedding, I’ll share it with him. I’ve tried to live up to the words, but have faltered from time to time. But, it’s still my resolve to be the man described.

[zetapoetry]

"If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds' worth of distance run, " is the original line by Kipling. This makes more sense than 40 seconds, as a minute has 60 seconds. In any case, Caine's performance is brilliant and masterful, hats off!

[robbiereilly]

I love how Kipling calls triumph and disaster 'impostors'. Just brilliant.

[darrylbuckett]

I'm glad that Michael's dad read this poem to him, so that one day he could read it to me. Cheers

[marywalker]

My dear mother had a copy of this poem framed for my son when he was in grammer school. Today, he is almost 60 years old and the poem is hanging in his office. My mother was a wise woman. This poem is wonderful.

[darrylkoehn-ecmk]

My father also put this poem on my bedroom wall. I've read this many times, and it always rings true. Now my father is long gone and I'm in the twilight of my life this poem is still pertinent and rings true!

[willwillis]

When I was a small child, 75 years ago, my father gave me a framed copy of this poem. He read it to me until I was able to read it for myself. It has had a profound effect on my life!

[brendamichaelides]

My dad lived by this poem. He taught my sisters and I to the same. I still tear up when I hear it … miss you dad 😢

[omqoshn]

My mother read me this poem when I was a little girl. It has always stayed with me it is my favorite. She changed the end to "you will be a woman, my daughter"

[hildatyburczy]

I gave this poem to my grandson when he turned 21 years old! I printed it and put it in the birthday card I gave him! It was my way of telling him that everything would be okay! He had had a very difficult time making friends in HS and also not a good relationship with his father! He’s my first grandchild and we have a special relationship even now that he’s 31 years old…..❤

[davidwilliams]

Michael Caine is my favourite actor. This is my father’s favourite poem. I read it at his funeral. He is my favourite father.

[STB-jhod]

Fact he wrote this to his son who died is truly inspiring.

[Jen]

So beautifully done .. this was my dear husband's favorite poem .. he had it by heart .. he recited it to me just before he died .. and three months before his own beautiful son was born .,

I cannot hear this achingly beautiful poem without crying ..
Jen999💙

[lyndabrown]

My father gave me, his daughter, this poem when I was 10 back in 1964. It's still framed and hanging on my wall. Love this version.

[iordeebeat]

One of the greatest poems read by such a man does not need the typical images and music of countless so-called motivational videos. Just the voice and facial expressions of Sir Michael Caine reading this gem.

[mellularphone]

When you have *Michael Caine* reading this masterpiece, you don’t cover it in crappy b-roll. Especially at the very end— the most heart-warming part! You gotta show his reaction! Like, WHAT. I love this channel, I do, so it’s hard for for me to say this and I feel really bad… but as a director myself I am truly mortified! I think you should repost this for sure with just Kaine!

[colinmerritt]

When I was young and first encountered 'If, ' I didn't quite know what Kipling was trying to say. I could sense a subtext, an overarching theme I couldn't quite see.

Now, at 53, I get it. Thank yoy, Kipling.

[CFLsurfr]

His rendition changed "If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds distance run, yours is the Earth and everything that's it it, and which is more, you'll be a man my son" to forty seconds and I like it. Because reality is you're going to fall. There will be hard times for all of us, in various ways and manners throughout our life. Just do your best.