IF ONLY

Submitted by IVAN CHER (Australia), Jul 30, 2007 at 07:46

In Melbourne's broadsheet "The Age" of July 30, a columnist, David James published his variation of Kipling's famous poem "IF". After reading his version I offer my own -- for my cousins in Israel. Kipling must've been prescient about the Mid-East, as well as India: "If you can keep your head...." indeed!

IF

If you can keep your head on, while about you

They're cutting throats and blaming it on you;

And leaders turn their own folk into victims

Manipulating blame to fall on you;

If you can hear the hist'ry that you've spoken

Atwist by knaves who seek to boycott you;

If you can trust yourself when media doubt you

The ign'rant journo's gull'ble point of view;

If you can hear the hist'ry that you know's true

Misrepresented by the BBC, on cue,

(Their spin don't sound too good, P.R. wise)

But being lied about, don't deal yourself in lies.

If there's a Six Day Triumph or a blame-game

You keep your cool and persevere the same;

You're confident your heart and nerve and sinew

Will serve your cause long after it began,

And so hold on and offer Peace again;

Then neither foes nor mis-led friends can hurt you;

You've earned your nation state, NOW THAT IS TRUE.

IVAN CHER

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