Recessional
by
Rudyard Kipling
|
God of our fathers, known of old, |
Lord of our far-flung battle-line, |
Beneath whose awful Hand we hold |
Dominion over palm and pine― |
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, |
Lest we forget―lest we forget!
|
The tumult and the shouting dies; |
The Captains and the Kings depart: |
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, |
An humble and a contrite heart, |
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, |
Lest we forget―lest we forget!
|
Far-called, our navies melt away; |
On dune and headland sinks the fire: |
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday |
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre! |
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet, |
Lest we forget―lest we forget!
|
If, drunk with sight of power, we
loose, |
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe, |
Such boastings as the Gentiles use, |
Or lesser breeds without the Law― |
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, |
Lest we forget―lest we forget!
|
For heathen heart that puts her trust |
In reeking tube and iron shard, |
All valiant dust that builds on dust, |
And guarding, calls not Thee to guard, |
For frantic boast and foolish word― |
Thy mercy on Thy People, Lord!
|
Rudyard
Kipling |
Classic Poems |
|
[ If ] [ The Way Through the Woods ] [ Danny Deever ] [ Recessional ] [ Tommy ] [ The White Man's Burden ] [ Chant-Pagan ] [ The Deep Sea Cables ] [ The Dykes ] [ Gunga Din ] [ The Gods of the Copybook Headings ] [ Fuzzy-Wuzzy ] [ The Land ] [ The Old Men ] [ My Rival ] |