A General Summary

A General Summary by Rudyard Kipling

This poem was the introductory piece in the original Indian editions of "Departmental Ditties", first published in 1886. Begining with the first English edition, published in 1890, this was preceded by Prelude. See notes on A General Summary at the Kipling Society.

A GENERAL SUMMARY

We are very slightly changed From the semi-apes who ranged   India's prehistoric clay; He that drew the longest bow Ran his brother down, you know,   As we run men down to-day. "Dowb," the first of all his race, Met the Mammoth face to face   On the lake or in the cave: Stole the steadiest canoe, Ate the quarry others slew,   Died—and took the finest grave. When they scratched the reindeer-bone, Some one made the sketch his own,   Filched it from the artist—then, Even in those early days, Won a simple Viceroy's praise   Through the toil of other men. Ere they hewed the Sphinx's visage Favouritism governed kissage,   Even as it does in this age. Who shall doubt "the secret hid Under Cheops' pyramid" Was that the contractor did   Cheops out of several millions? Or that Joseph's sudden rise To Comptroller of Supplies Was a fraud of monstrous size   On King Pharaoh's swart Civilians?

Thus, the artless songs I sing
Do not deal with anything
  New or never said before.
As it was in the beginning
Is to-day official sinning,
  And shall be for evermore!

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1923. The author died in 1936, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 75 years or less. This work may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.