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Rudyard Kipling's Verse, Inclusive Edition, 1885-1918/A General Summary

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For other versions of this work, see General Summary.

This poem was the introductory piece in the original Indian editions of "Departmental Ditties", first published in 1886. Begining with the first English edition, published in 1890, this was preceded by Prelude. See notes on A General Summary at the Kipling Society.

140945Rudyard Kipling's Verse, Inclusive Edition, 1885-1918 — A General SummaryRudyard Kipling

A General Summary

We are very slightly changed
From the semi-apes who ranged
India's prehistoric clay;
He that drew the longest bow
Ran his brother down, you know,
As we run men down to-day.

"Dowb," the first of all his race,
Met the Mammoth face to face
On the lake or in the cave:
Stole the steadiest canoe,
Ate the quarry others slew,
Died—and took the finest grave.

When they scratched the reindeer-bone,
Some one made the sketch his own,
Filched it from the artist—then,
Even in those early days,
Won a simple Viceroy's praise
Through the toil of other men.
Ere they hewed the Sphinx's visage
Favouritism governed kissage,
Even as it does in this age.

Who shall doubt "the secret hid
Under Cheops' pyramid"
Was that the contractor did
Cheops out of several millions?
Or that Joseph's sudden rise
To Comptroller of Supplies
Was a fraud of monstrous size
On King Pharaoh's swart Civilians?

Thus, the artless songs I sing
Do not deal with anything
New or never said before.
As it was in the beginning
Is to-day official sinning,
And shall be for evermore!