THE STRANGER

by Rudyard Kipling

The stranger within my gate,
He may be true or kind,
But he does not talk my talk -
I cannot feel his mind.
I see his face and the eyes and the mouth,
But not the soul behind.

The men of my own stock,
They may do ill or well,
But they tell the lies I am wonted to,
They are used to the lies I tell;
And we do not need interpreters
When we go to buy or sell.

The stranger within my gates,
He may be evil or good,
But I can not tell what powers control -
What reasons sway his mood;
Nor when the Gods of his far-off land
Shall repossess his blood.

The men of my own stock,
Bitter bad they may be,
But at least they hear the things I hear,
And see the things I see;
And what ever I think of them and their likes
They think of the likes of me.

This was my father's belief
And this is also mine:
Let the corn be all one sheaf -
And the grapes be all one vine,
Ere our children's teeth are set on edge
By bitter bread and wine.

Rudyard Kipling 1865-1936

 

And now for the Birdman's version:

Rudyard Kipling: "The Stranger" - Revision

The stranger who's within my gate --
He may be true and kind;
But still, he does not talk my talk --
I cannot know his mind.
I see the face and eyes and mouth,
But not the soul behind.

The men who are of my own stock --
They may do ill or well;
But even then the worst of them
Will tell the lies I tell:
We do not need interpreters
To let us buy and sell.

The stranger who's within my gate --
He may be bad or good;
But I can't tell what pow'rs control,
What reasons sway his mood,
Nor when the gods of his far land
May repossess his blood.

The men who are of my own stock,
Tho bitter bad they be,
At least they hear the things I hear
And see the things I see;
Whate'er I think of them and theirs
They think the same of me.

This was my father's firm belief,
And it is also mine:
To let the corn be of one sheaf,
The grapes be of one vine,
Lest friend and stranger both alike
Reap bitter bread and wine.