If—

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

If— is a poem written by Branford Bryan Angell, nephew of Arthur Conan Doyle, published in the The Boy's Own Paper in april 1919.


If—

The Boy's Own Paper (april 1919, p. 301)

(With Apologies To Mr. Rudyard Kipling.)

If you can keep your "length" when all about you
Are losing theirs and letting runs be scored;
If you can trust your balls and batsmen doubt you
And you can field long time and not be bored;
If you can bowl and not be proud of bowling,
And, being hit about, don't "lose your hat,"
Or being "taken off" don't start not fielding;
And yet be ready, in your turn, to bat.

If you can hit while keeping still your right leg,
If you can block and not make blocks your all
If you can meet with Century and Duck's Egg,
And learn respect for him who bowls the ball;
If you can keep from saying the ball has broken,
When both the umpires say that it has not,
And come out with a grin and smile for all men,
And tell the next-to-go-in what you wot.

If you can do your whole best in your innings;
If you can play for side and not for self;
If you can make but little of your winnings
And try to lose sight of the word "myself";
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With seventy sevens' worth of well-earned runs,
Your place's at Lords' and wheresoe'er there's Cricket,
And what is less, you'll be "some knuts," my sons!