COMPLETE [FORTNIGHTLY POEM] IF, by Rudyard Kipling

[msfry]

Nan, you are PL AOK Thank you for participating.

[msfry]

And since we have so many enthusiastic participants showing up to read this poem, I'm suddenly inspired to ask a trick question:

What is "the unforgiving minute"? Anyone?

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

[tovarisch]

It's a characterization of the minute as being so short. It's too short to be forgiving (as in, you could go back and fix something while it still lasts).

[iBeScotty]

Love this, so I can't resist adding my humble recording to the bunch:

https://librivox.org/uploads/aradlaw/if_kipling_sws_128kb.mp3
2:36

As for the 'unforgiving minute,' without consulting my English Major daughter, my feeling is that there is no pause button on our limited life and to make good use of it without idling about is what it is all about, imho

[Ravie13]

Thanks, Erin. That was quite an electric performance!

As you are already in our catalog, the system will automatically list you as Erin B. Lillis (no need to tell us that), but as to changing your website url, I think an admin has to do that. Let us knock on David's door. Knock. Knock.

Thanks! If it can't be changed, no worries. It goes to the same place.

[williamjones]

Uploaded my version

https://librivox.org/uploads/aradlaw/if_kipling_wj_128kb.mp3 2.13 KB 02:16

[williamjones]

And since we have so many enthusiastic participants showing up to read this poem, I'm suddenly inspired to ask a trick question:

What is "the unforgiving minute"? Anyone?

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

I think this is an oblique reference to a quote from Omar Khayyám

“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.”

As others have here suggested, our lives' minutes can't be reeled back and re-done: there are no "Do-Overs".
The "distance run" comment is advice to take advantage of every minute and GET OFF YOUR DEAD A$$ AND DO SOMETHING!

Them's my 2¢

[williamjones]

To my previous interpretation of the minute/distance run lines, I add here this reference from the Christian Bible, book of David:
5 In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite the lamp stand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

Daniel 5:25 "And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
26 This is the interpretation of each word.
Mene: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it;
27 Tekel: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting;
28 Peres: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."

[msfry]

Thank you Scott and Bill, for your renditions. Both are PL OK. And as to your quiz results, both are and

[msfry]

It's a characterization of the minute as being so short. It's too short to be forgiving (as in, you could go back and fix something while it still lasts).

Minutes? What about hours? Days? Weeks? My life is flying by so fast I can't believe it. But I do realize they are all made up of minutes, and I try to do something meaningful in each, even if it is just: take a deep breath, hold a nice thought, count a blessing, wash a dish, or refrain from eating a second chocolate covered doughnut.

[williamjones]

It's a characterization of the minute as being so short. It's too short to be forgiving (as in, you could go back and fix something while it still lasts).

Minutes? What about hours? Days? Weeks? My life is flying by so fast I can't believe it. But I do realize they are all made up of minutes, and I try to do something meaningful in each, even if it is just: take a deep breath, hold a nice thought, count a blessing, wash a dish, or refrain from eating a second chocolate covered doughnut.

Can I have your doughnut?

[msfry]

I think this is an oblique reference to a quote from Omar Khayyám

“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.”

OOH, the Rubyyiat! I just checked and nothing has been recorded of this poem on LV since 2012. I wonder if we could select a few choice quatrains and make a fortnightly of it. So many deliciously poignant lines to recite! Someone put together a selection for the Short Poetry Collection back in 2011, here: https://librivox.org/short-poetry-collection-097/

[WiltedScribe]

One more voice to add to the chorus:

https://librivox.org/uploads/aradlaw/if_kipling_tp_128kb.mp3 (2:27)

[GrayHouse]

Michele,
Your reading is PL OK -

Here's my offering for your fine collection:
- https://librivox.org/uploads/aradlaw/if_kipling_ik_128kb.mp3
- 2:20

Thanks,
-Ian

[Veggrower]

Hi, Michele - here's my reading:

https://librivox.org/uploads/aradlaw/if_kipling_gb_128kb.mp3

...with a length of 2:33. Thanks a lot,

Garth