WHEN in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary….
When Earth’s Last Picture is Painted by Kipling
byVanderleunonNovember 9, 2021
When Earth’s last picture is painted and the tubes are twisted and dried,
When the oldest colours have faded, and the youngest critic has died,
We shall rest, and faith, we shall need it – lie down for an aeon or two,
Till the Master of All Good Workmen Shall put us to work anew.
And those that were good shall be happy: they shall sit in a golden chair;
They shall splash at a ten-league canvas with brushes of comet’s hair.
They shall find real saints to draw from – Magdalene, Peter, and Paul;
They shall work for an age at a sitting and never be tired at all!
And only the Master shall praise us, and only the Master shall blame;
And no one will work for the money, and no one will work for the fame,
But each for the joy of the working, and each, in his separate star,
Shall draw the Thing as he sees It for the God of Things as They are!
And the joy of work is what sustains me during these increasingly dark and worrisome times. The morning tour through the online bookmarks usually leaves me wanting to find a cliff, and jump off it. But after recharging my pessimism, I unlock the garage, get the tools out, set the table up, and pour some more coffee. The first task is just staring into the stone. Coffee helps with that. Stare long enough, and the obscene chatter of the daily news falls silent, the lights go on, the directions become clear, and I have a task for my hands, and mind. I’m gonna’ create some beauty here, and joy is the by-product. I often hear myself utter a spontaneous prayer of thanks for this gift.
JWM
Sam L.November 9, 2021, 8:07 AM
Let us Kipple with Kipling. He knows what he’s doing.
AggieNovember 9, 2021, 8:08 AM
I’ve not seen this before. Thanks for sharing it.
Kevin in PANovember 9, 2021, 8:11 AM
It’s another from Kipling that is new to me.
Terrific!
I’ve got a 1939 copy of “Rudyard Kipling’s Verse – Definitive Edition” published by Doubleday. It’s 836 pages thick. This poem appears on page 226 and was written in 1892. I’ve read a lot of these poems but not this one until today…. and I just don’t think I’ll get to them all. Mark Twain was in total awe of the man. Kipling was living up in Vermont but the two met in New York City and sat together down at Washington Square which was about a block away from where Twain was living at the time.
Real World Address for Donations, Mash Notes and Hate Mail
Gerard Van der Leun
1692 MANGROVE AVE
APT 379
Chico, Ca 95926
Green Pants Interior by Klahn
Who Am I? by Carl Sandburg
My head knocks against the stars.
My feet are on the hilltops.
My finger-tips are in the valleys and shores of universal life.
Down in the sounding foam of primal things I reach my hands and play with pebbles of destiny.
I have been to hell and back many times.
I know all about heaven, for I have talked with God.
I dabble in the blood and guts of the terrible.
I know the passionate seizure of beauty
And the marvelous rebellion of man at all signs reading “Keep Off.”
My name is Truth and I am the most elusive captive in the universe.
Duty, Beauty, Liberty, Country, Honor, Family, Faith — Plus a few simple easy to follow rules for guys
Men saw the stars at the edge of the sea
They thought great thoughts about liberty
Poets wrote down words that did fit
Writers wrote books
Thinkers thought about it
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
Many’s the road I have walked upon
Many’s the hour between dusk and dawn
Many’s the time
Many’s the mile
I see it all now
Through the eyes of a child
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
And close your eyes
Leave it all for a while
Leave the world
And your worries behind
You will build on whatever is real
And wake up each day
To a new waking dream
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Change, change come over
Change come over
Talkin’ about a change
Change, change
Change come over, now
Change, change, change come over
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
When Earth’s last picture is painted and the tubes are twisted and dried,
Gerard Van der Leun
Comments on this entry are closed.
“But each for the joy of the working…”
And the joy of work is what sustains me during these increasingly dark and worrisome times. The morning tour through the online bookmarks usually leaves me wanting to find a cliff, and jump off it. But after recharging my pessimism, I unlock the garage, get the tools out, set the table up, and pour some more coffee. The first task is just staring into the stone. Coffee helps with that. Stare long enough, and the obscene chatter of the daily news falls silent, the lights go on, the directions become clear, and I have a task for my hands, and mind. I’m gonna’ create some beauty here, and joy is the by-product. I often hear myself utter a spontaneous prayer of thanks for this gift.
JWM
Let us Kipple with Kipling. He knows what he’s doing.
I’ve not seen this before. Thanks for sharing it.
It’s another from Kipling that is new to me.
Terrific!
New to me, too.
Thanks, Gerard.
Thanks to you, I have a mind nourished on beautiful poetry.
Kipling, amazing., we are blessed we have a site host whom is clearly on par, with Kipling, the other greats. A man of reaching wisdom, and vision.
Rare qualities in these days of extreme short sightedness!
Kipling: one of only three poets I can understand.
Clear as an Icelandic lake,sharp as a razor.
I’ve got a 1939 copy of “Rudyard Kipling’s Verse – Definitive Edition” published by Doubleday. It’s 836 pages thick. This poem appears on page 226 and was written in 1892. I’ve read a lot of these poems but not this one until today…. and I just don’t think I’ll get to them all. Mark Twain was in total awe of the man. Kipling was living up in Vermont but the two met in New York City and sat together down at Washington Square which was about a block away from where Twain was living at the time.
Amen