Read "South Africa" by Rudyard Kipling online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Lived a woman wonderful, / (May the Lord amend her! ) / Neither simple, kind, nor true, / But her Pagan beauty drew / Christian gentlemen a few / Hotly to attend her.
_Christian gentlemen a few / From Berwick unto Dover; / For she was South Africa, / And she was South Africa, / She was our South Africa, / Africa all over! _
Half her land was dead with drouth, / Half was red with battle; / She was fenced with fire and sword, / Plague on pestilence outpoured, / Locusts on the greening sward / And murrain on the cattle!
_True, ah true, and overtrue; / That is why we love her! / For she is South Africa, / And she is South Africa, / She is our South Africa, / Africa all over! _
Bitter hard her lovers toiled, / Scandalous their payment, -- / Food forgot on trains derailed; / Cattle-dung where fuel failed; / Water where the mules had staled; / And sackcloth for their raiment!
So she filled their mouths with dust / And their bones with fever; / Greeted them with cruel lies; / Treated them despiteful-wise; / Meted them calamities / Till they vowed to leave her.
They took ship and they took sail, / Raging, from her borders, -- / In a little, none the less, / They forgat their sore duresse, / They forgave her waywardness / And returned for orders!
They esteemed her favour more / Than a Throne's foundation. / For the glory of her face / Bade farewell to breed and race -- / Yea, and made their burial-place / Altar of a Nation!
Wherefore, being bought by blood, / And by blood restorèd / To the arms that nearly lost, / She, because of all she cost, / Stands, a very woman, most / Perfect and adorèd!
_On your feet, and let them know / This is why we love her! / For she is South Africa, / She is our South Africa, / Is our own South Africa, / Africa all over! _