Author: Rudyard Kipling

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Much I owe to the Lands that grew,
More to the Lives that fed,
But most to Allah Who gave me two
Separate sides to my head.

Much I reflect on the Good and the True
In the Faiths beneath the sun,
But most to Allah Who gave me two
Sides to my head, not one.

Wesley's following, Calvin's flock,
White or yellow or bronze,
Shaman, Ju-ju or Angekok,
Minister, Mukamuk, Bonze,

Here is a health, my brothers, to you,
However your prayers are said,
And praised be Allah Who gave me two
Separate sides to my head!

I would go without shirt or shoe,
Friend, tobacco or bread,
Sooner than lose for a minute the two
Separate sides of my head!

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Type of Poem: Meditative Poem

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: Rudyard Kipling’s "The Two-Sided Man" is best classified as a Meditative Lyric Poem with elements of Philosophical Reflection and Religious Commentary. In this piece, Kipling celebrates the human capacity for holding multiple perspectives simultaneously, attributing this precious duality to divine wisdom. The poem’s central theme is the value of intellectual flexibility and open-mindedness—recognizing that truth and goodness can be found across diverse faiths, cultures, and experiences. Rather than adhering rigidly to one dogma, Kipling praises the ability to see and understand multiple sides of an issue, suggesting this faculty is a gift greater than even material necessities like clothing or food.

The tone of the poem is thoughtful, grateful, and lightly humorous. Kipling’s simple but rhythmic language, and his use of repetition—especially the phrase "separate sides to my head"—gives the poem a chant-like, almost prayerful quality. His references to a wide array of religious traditions ("Wesley's following, Calvin's flock," "Shaman, Ju-ju or Angekok, Minister, Mukamuk, Bonze") reflect his broad, multicultural worldview, likely shaped by his life experiences in colonial India and beyond. This wide religious catalogue not only underscores the variety of human belief systems but also the poet’s essential respect for all of them, regardless of doctrinal differences.

Structurally, the poem is tightly organized around quatrains, with regular rhyme that creates a smooth, rolling cadence. The humor is subtle but essential; by speaking almost whimsically about giving up "shirt or shoe, friend, tobacco or bread" before sacrificing his two-sided nature, Kipling emphasizes how central the capacity for nuance and empathy is to his identity. "The Two-Sided Man" ultimately offers a quietly radical message: that survival and true understanding in a pluralistic world depend not on rigid orthodoxy but on the humility and wisdom to appreciate multiple truths. It is a deeply personal and universal meditation on tolerance, perspective, and the complexity of human thought.