Description Recessional (poem)

indian cavalry passing houses of parliament, 22 june, 1897

“recessional” contains 5 stanzas of 6 lines each. a.w. yates sees comparisons of form , phrase in thomas wyatt s forget not yet . recessional hymn or piece of music sung or played @ end of religious service, in respects title dictates form of poem, of traditional english hymn.

initially, kipling had not intended write poem jubilee. written , published towards close of jubilee celebrations, , represents comment on them, afterword. poem first published in times on july 17 1897.

the poem went against celebratory mood of time, providing instead reminder of transient nature of british imperial power. poem expresses both pride in british empire, underlying sadness empire might go way of previous empires. title , allusion end rather beginning add solemnity , gravitas kipling s message. in poem, kipling argues boasting , jingoism, faults of accused, inappropriate , vain in light of permanence of god.