Author: Rudyard Kipling
Me that 'ave been what I've been, Me that 'ave gone where I've gone, Me that 'ave seen what I've seen, 'Ow can I ever take on With awful old England again, An' 'ouses both sides of the street, And 'edges two sides of the lane, And the parson an' gentry between, An' touchin' my 'at when we meet, Me that 'ave been what I've been? Me that 'ave watched 'arf a world 'Eave up all shiny with dew, Kopje on kop to the sun, An' as soon as the mist let 'em through Our 'elios winkin' like fun, Three sides of a ninety-mile square, Over valleys as big as a shire, "Are ye there? Are ye there? Are ye there?" An' then the blind drum of our fire . . . An' I'm rollin' 'is lawns for the Squire, Me! Me that 'ave rode through the dark Forty mile, often, on end, Along the Ma'ollisberg Range, With only the stars for my mark An' only the night for my friend, An' things runnin' off as you pass, An' things jumpin' up in the grass, An' the silence, the shine an' the size Of the 'igh, unexpressible skies, I am takin' some letters almost As much as a mile to the post, An' "mind you come back with the change!" Me! Me that saw Barberton took When we dropped through the clouds on their 'ead, An' they 'ove the guns over and fled, Me that was through Di'mond 'Ill, An' Pieters an' Springs an' Belfast, From Dundee to Vereeniging all, Me that stuck out to the last (An' five bloomin' bars on my chest), I am doin' my Sunday-school best, By the 'elp of the Squire an' 'is wife (Not to mention the 'ousemaid an' cook), To come in an' 'ands up an' be still, An' honestly work for my bread, My livin' in that state of life To which it shall please God to call Me! Me that 'ave followed my trade In the place where the Lightnin's are made; 'Twixt the Rains and the Sun and the Moon, Me that lay down an' got up Three years with the sky for my roof, That 'ave ridden my 'unger an' thirst Six thousand raw mile on the hoof, With the Vaal and the Orange for cup, An' the Brandwater Basin for dish,, Oh! it's 'ard to be'ave as they wish (Too 'ard, an' a little too soon), I'll 'ave to think over it first, Me! I will arise an' get 'ence, I will trek South and make sure If it's only my fancy or not That the sunshine of England is pale, And the breezes of England are stale, An' there's something' gone small with the lot. For I know of a sun an' a wind, An' some plains and a mountain be'ind, An' some graves by a barb-wire fence, An' a Dutchman I've fought 'oo might give Me a job where I ever inclined To look in an' offsaddle an' live Where there's neither a road nor a tree, But only my Maker an' me, And I think it will kill me or cure, So I think I will go there an' see.
Type of Poem: Narrative Poem
Date Written:
Date Published:
Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Publisher:
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Comments/Notes: This poem is a powerful monologue of a veteran reflecting on his experiences, contrasting his previous adventurous, war-torn life with the mundane and stifling nature of his current existence in England. The theme of the poem is the struggle between the familiarity of home and the lure of the wild, between societal conformity and personal freedom, which is evident in the speaker's oscillation between his past exploits and his present life.
The narrative tone is one of dissatisfaction and yearning, as the speaker feels unfulfilled by his return to English society and its norms. The poem is structured as a series of reflections or flashbacks, each one highlighting a different experience from the speaker's past and how it contrasts with his present situation. The repetition of "Me!" emphasizes the speaker's identity crisis, his struggle to reconcile his past self with his present circumstances.
The use of dialect and colloquialism lends authenticity to the speaker's voice and highlights the gulf between his lived experiences and the expectations of English society. The poem is rich with imagery, particularly in its descriptions of the wild landscapes and the stark realities of war. The final stanza, in which the speaker plans to return to the wild, lends an unresolved, anticipatory tone to the poem, reinforcing the theme of longing for freedom and the open wilderness.
Narrative poetry is a form of poetry that tells a story, often making use of the voices of a narrator and characters as well. Unlike lyric poetry, which focuses on emotions and thoughts, narrative poetry is dedicated to storytelling, weaving tales that captivate readers through plot and character development.
Narrative poems are unique in their ability to combine the depth of storytelling with the expressive qualities of poetry. Here are some defining characteristics:
From ancient epics like "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" to more modern narrative poems, this form continues to engage readers by blending the art of storytelling with the beauty and rhythm of poetry.