| Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936). Verse: 1885–1918. 1922. | | | | A British–Roman Song |
| | (A.D. 406)
MY father’s father saw it not, | |
| And I, belike, shall never come, | |
| To look on that so-holy spot— | |
| The very Rome— | |
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| Crowned by all Time, all Art, all Might | 5 |
| The equal work of Gods and Man, | |
| City beneath whose oldest height— | |
| The Race began! | |
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| Soon to send forth again a brood, | |
| Unshakeable, we pray, that clings, | 10 |
| To Rome’s thrice-hammered hardihood— | |
| In arduous things. | |
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| Strong heart with triple armour bound, | |
| Beat strongly, for thy life-blood runs, | |
| Age after Age, the Empire round— | 15 |
| In us thy Sons | |
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| Who, distant from the Seven Hills, | |
| Loving and serving much, require | |
| Thee—thee to guard ’gainst home-born ills, | |
| The Imperial Fire! | 20 | | | |
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