MANDALAY<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
By the old Moulmein Pagoda, lookin\u2019 eastward to the sea,<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a Burma girl a-settin\u2019, and I know she thinks o\u2019 me;<\/p>\n
For the wind is in the palm-trees, and the temple-bells they say:<\/p>\n
\u2018Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay!\u2019<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Come you back to Mandalay,<\/p>\n
Where the old Flotilla lay:<\/p>\n
Can\u2019t you \u2019ear their paddles chunkin from Rangoon to Mandalay?<\/p>\n
On the road to Mandalay,<\/p>\n
Where the flyin\u2019-fishes play,<\/p>\n
An\u2019 the dawn comes up like thunder outer China \u2019crost the Bay!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u2019Er petticoat was yaller an\u2019 \u2019er little cap was green,<\/p>\n
An\u2019 \u2019er name was Supi-yaw-lat\u2014jes\u2019 the same as Theebaw\u2019s Queen,<\/p>\n
An\u2019 I seed her first a-smokin\u2019 of a whackin\u2019 white cheroot,<\/p>\n
An\u2019 a-wastin\u2019 Christian kisses on an \u2019eathen idol\u2019s foot:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Bloomin\u2019 idol made o\u2019 mud\u2014<\/p>\n
What they called the Great Gawd Budd\u2014<\/p>\n
Plucky lot she cared for idols when I kissed \u2019er where she stud!<\/p>\n
On the road to Mandalay, etc.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When the mist was on the rice-fields an\u2019 the sun was droppin\u2019 slow,<\/p>\n
She\u2019d git \u2019er little banjo an\u2019 she\u2019d sing \u2018Kulla-lo-lo!\u2019<\/p>\n
With \u2019er arm upon my shoulder an\u2019 \u2019er cheek agin my cheek<\/p>\n
We useter watch the steamers an\u2019 the hathis pilin\u2019 teak.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Elephints a-pilin\u2019 teak<\/p>\n
In the sludgy, squdgy creek,<\/p>\n
Where the silence \u2019ung that \u2019eavy you was \u2019arf afraid to speak!<\/p>\n
On the road to Mandalay, etc.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
But that\u2019s all shove be\u2019ind me\u2014long ago an\u2019 fur away,<\/p>\n
An\u2019 there ain\u2019t no \u2019busses runnin\u2019 from the Bank to Mandalay;<\/p>\n
An\u2019 I\u2019m learnin\u2019 \u2019ere in London what the ten-year soldier tells:<\/p>\n
\u2018If you\u2019ve \u2019eard the East a-callin\u2019, you won\u2019t never \u2019eed naught else.\u2019<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
No! you won\u2019t \u2019eed nothin\u2019 else<\/p>\n
But them spicy garlic smells,<\/p>\n
An\u2019 the sunshine an\u2019 the palm-trees an\u2019 the tinkly temple-bells;<\/p>\n
On the road to Mandalay, etc.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I am sick o\u2019 wastin\u2019 leather on these gritty pavin\u2019-stones,<\/p>\n
An\u2019 the blasted Henglish drizzle wakes the fever in my bones;<\/p>\n
Tho\u2019 I walks with fifty \u2019ousemaids outer Chelsea to the Strand,<\/p>\n
An\u2019 they talks a lot o\u2019 lovin\u2019, but wot do they understand?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Beefy face an\u2019 grubby \u2019and<\/p>\n
\u2014Law! wot do they understand?<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve a neater, sweeter maiden in a cleaner, greener land!<\/p>\n
On the road to Mandalay, etc.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ship me somewheres east of Suez, where the best is like the worst,<\/p>\n
Where there aren\u2019t no Ten Commandments an\u2019 a man can raise a thirst;<\/p>\n
For the temple-bells are callin\u2019, and it\u2019s there that I would be\u2014<\/p>\n
By the old Moulmein Pagoda, looking lazy at the sea;<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
On the road to Mandalay,<\/p>\n
Where the old Flotilla lay,<\/p>\n
With our sick beneath the awnings when we went to Mandalay!<\/p>\n
Oh the road to Mandalay,<\/p>\n
Where the flyin\u2019-fishes play,<\/p>\n
An\u2019 the dawn comes up like thunder outer China \u2019crost the Bay!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Rudyard Kipling<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MANDALAY By the old Moulmein Pagoda, lookin\u2019 eastward to the sea, There\u2019s a Burma girl a-settin\u2019, and I know she thinks o\u2019 me; For<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[701],"tags":[744,746],"class_list":["post-24005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-quote-of-the-day","tag-quote-of-the-day","tag-rudyard-kipling"],"yoast_head":"\n