If—

If— is Rudyard Kipling's poem of counsel built around a sequence of conditional statements. The speaker describes remaining calm under pressure, resisting dishonesty, rebuilding after loss and treating success and failure with equal composure. Its steady rhythm and repeated openings make the advice memorable as spoken instruction. Although the closing address frames the poem as guidance from an older voice to a son, many of its concerns center on broadly recognizable tests of character. Restraint, persistence and respect for others appear as habits requiring practice, rather than accomplishments secured by reputation or favorable circumstances.