Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936). Verse: 1885–1918. 1922.

South Africa

LIVED a woman wonderful,

(May the Lord amend her!)

Neither simple, kind, nor true,

But her Pagan beauty drew

Christian gentlemen a few

Hotly to attend her.

Christian gentlemen a few

From Berwick unto Dover;

For she was South Africa,

And she was South Africa,

She was Our South Africa,

Africa all over!

Half her land was dead with drouth,

Half was red with battle;

She was fenced with fire and sword

Plague on pestilence outpoured,

Locusts on the greening sward

And murrain on the cattle!

True, ah true, and overtrue.

That is why we love her!

For she is South Africa,

And she is South Africa,

She is Our South Africa,

Africa all over!

Bitter hard her lovers toiled,

Scandalous their payment,—

Food forgot on trains derailed;

Cattle-dung where fuel failed;

Water where the mules had staled;

And sackcloth for their raiment!

So she filled their mouths with dust

And their bones with fever;

Greeted them with cruel lies;

Treated them despiteful-wise;

Meted them calamities

Till they vowed to leave her!

They took ship and they took sail,

Raging, from her borders—

In a little, none the less,

They forgat their sore duresse,

They forgave her waywardness

And returned for orders!

They esteemed her favour more

Than a Throne’s foundation.

For the glory of her face

Bade farewell to breed and race—

Yea, and made their burial-place

Altar of a Nation!

Wherefore, being bought by blood,

And by blood restorèd

To the arms that nearly lost,

She, because of all she cost,

Stands, a very woman, most

Perfect and adored!

On your feet, and let them know

This is why we love her!

For she is South Africa,

She is Our South Africa,

Is Our Own South Africa,

Africa all over!