The Sack Of The Gods

By Rudyard Kipling

Narrative Poem
    Strangers drawn from the ends of the earth, jewelled and plumed were we;     I was Lord of the Inca race, and she was Queen of the Sea.     Under the stars beyond our stars where the new-forged meteors glow,     Hotly we stormed Valhalla, a million years ago!     Ever neath high Valhalla Hall the well-tuned horns begin,     When the swords are out in the underworld, and the weary Gods come in.     Ever through high Valhalla Gate the Patient Angel goes     He opens the eyes that are blind with hate, he joins the hands of foes.     Dust of the stars was under our feet, glitter of stars above,     Wrecks of our wrath dropped reeling down as we fought and we spurned and we strove.     Worlds upon worlds we tossed aside, and scattered them to and fro,     The night that we stormed Valhalla, a million years ago!     They are forgiven as they forgive all those dark wounds and deep,     Their beds are made on the Lap of Time and they lie down and sleep.     They are forgiven as they forgive all those old wounds that bleed.     They shut their eyes from their worshippers; they sleep till the world has need.     She with the star I had marked for my own, I with my set desire,     Lost in the loom of the Night of Nights, lighted by worlds afire,     Met in a war against the Gods where the headlong meteors glow,     Hewing our way to Valhalla, a million years ago!     They will come back, come back again, as long as the red Earth rolls.     He never wasted a leaf or a tree. Do you think He would squander souls ?

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
Rudyard Kipling’s "The Sack of the Gods" is a Mythic Narrative Lyric with strong elements of Cosmic Allegory, Reincarnation Philosophy, and Transcendent Reconciliation. Told in a voice that spans eons and worlds, the poem imagines an ancient, apocalyptic assault on Valhalla itself—a symbol for the seat of the Gods—by two primal, star-born warriors. The central theme is the eternal cycle of struggle, destruction, forgiveness, and renewal: how even across unimaginable spans of time, conflict and reconciliation are woven into the very fabric of existence, and souls endure beyond the wreckage of worlds.

The tone is heroic, sweeping, and hauntingly melancholic. Kipling conjures vivid cosmic imagery: "dust of the stars" beneath their feet, "wrecks of our wrath" dropping like broken worlds, meteors glowing in "the Night of Nights." Structurally, the poem alternates between the furious memory of the battle and the serene forgiveness that follows. The repeated refrain about the Patient Angel who "joins the hands of foes" and the weary Gods who sleep "till the world has need" infuses the poem with a deeper sense of cosmic mercy and the slow healing of all wounds. The lovers—"I was Lord of the Inca race, and she was Queen of the Sea"—are both mortal and mythic, personal and universal, suggesting that souls war, fall, forgive, and return eternally.

Kipling’s deeper philosophy surfaces in the final lines, where he insists that souls are not wasted: "He never wasted a leaf or a tree. Do you think He would squander souls?" This reflects Kipling’s nuanced spiritual view: while he often distrusted formal religious institutions, he maintained a profound belief in the conservation of spirit, endurance of identity, and the moral economy of the universe. Historically, this poem resonates with Victorian and Edwardian fascination with cosmic evolution, reincarnation, and the grandeur of humanity’s role within an immense, often violent universe.

Ultimately, "The Sack of the Gods" is a magnificent meditation on cosmic struggle and eternal return. Kipling blends the mythic, the romantic, and the philosophical into a sweeping vision of souls that battle, forgive, sleep, and rise again—not once, but forever—as part of a grand, sacred cycle written across the stars.

Exploring Narrative Poetry

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:

  • Structured Plot: Narrative poems typically have a clear beginning, middle, and end, following a plot that might involve conflict, climax, and resolution, much like a short story or novel.
  • Character Development: Characters in narrative poems are often well-developed, with distinct voices and personalities that drive the story forward.
  • Descriptive Language: The language used in narrative poetry is vivid and descriptive, painting a clear picture of the scenes and events, while also conveying the emotions and atmosphere of the story.

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.