...and one that saw him branded racist

The White Man’s Burden

TAKE up the White Man’s burden – Send forth the best ye breed – Go bind your sons to exile To serve your captives’ need; To wait in heavy harness On fluttered folk and wild – Your new-caught sullen peoples, Half devil and half child. Take up the White Man’s burden – In patience to abide To veil the threat of terror And check the show of pride; By open speech and simple, An hundred times made plain, To seek another’s profit, And work another’s gain. Take up the White Man’s burden – The savage wars of peace – Fill full the mouth of famine And bid the sickness cease; And when your goal is nearest The end for others sought, Watch Sloth and heathen Folly Bring all your hopes to nought. Take up the White Man’s burden – And reap his old reward, The blame of those ye better, The hate of those ye guard – The cry of hosts ye humour (Ah slowly !) towards the light: “Why brought ye us from bondage, “Our loved Egyptian night ?” (This is an edited version of the poem)