The poem by Kipling Rudyard is among the most inspirational lyrics. The poem is a real-life situation as it advises people on how to live their daily lives. The author gives several scenarios both positive and negative in ones live in every stanza and offers several solutions to key problems in life. In the last lines, the poem concludes by giving hope by saying that if one does all that is mentioned he/she will be progressive.
The poem has four stanzas of equal length. Each verse has eight lines. Each verse in the poem has a set rhyme scheme of ababcdcd, an exception to this poems rhyme scheme is in the first stanza with a rhyme scheme aaaabcbc. Kipling who is the author of the poem maintains positive tone through the poem instilling hope in the readers. In every stanza, he explains the audience all that they need to do to achieve success in life. He makes the poem very personal by using the pronoun “you.”
Kipling repeats the term “if” severally to articulate the critical message to in the poem. He cautions the readers that they will only be successful if just they do the things mentioned in the poem. The tone is set in the first line of the poem informing the reader that he/she should be focused if even if things are not going on well.
The poem has many figurative languages as well as other poetic devices. For example, the metaphor is applied in comparison of two situations with a case so similarity. It compared triumph and disaster, success and failure, too happy and too sad. A personification is an event by use of the word “if,” e.g., If you dream – and not make dreams your master.
Symbolism is also evident in the poem. He uses symbolic to explain aspects, which have a deeper meaning. The reader as to take time in unveiling the real meaning. For example in this line “and risk it on one turn of pitch and toss” shallowly “pitch and toss” is a game but is used to refer to big risks in one’s life. In conclusion, the poem employs different devices, which are very educative to the reader. Kipling uses the styles to give out his message.
Work Cited
Kipling, Rudyard. Kipling: 'if–'and Other Poems. Michael O'Mara Books, 2016.
