If by Rudyard Kipling - Read by Sir Michael Caine

Kipling's poem has been one of my favorites since I was a kid at school, my dad

read

it to me once and I think as a kid it summed up what a man should be if you can keep your head when it comes down to it. you are losing theirs and you blame yourself if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you but also take their doubts into account if you can wait and not get tired waiting or be lied to don't deal with lies or be hated Don Do not give in to hatred and yet do not appear too good or too wise if you can dream and not make dreams your master if you can think and not make thoughts your goal if you can face triumph and disaster and treat those two Impostors anyway if you can hear the truth you have spoken, twisted by scoundrels to make a trap for fools or look at the things you gave your life or broken and bend over and rebuild them with worn out tools if you can make a lot of then risk all your wins in a pitcher's pitching turn and lose and start again from the beginning and never say a word about your loss if you can force your heart, nerves and tendons to fulfill your turn long after they have finished and thus hold on . continue when there is nothing in you but the will that tells them wait if you can talk to crowds and maintain your virtue or walk with kings without losing common touch if neither enemies nor loving friends can harm you if all men count on you but not too much if you can fill the relentless minute with 40 seconds of distance run yours is the earth and everything in it and what's more you will be a man my son