POEM OF THE DAY

Portrait of Rudyard Kipling from the biography Rudyard Kipling by John Palmer

Date 15 June 1895, republished in 1907 

Author: Elliott & Fry

Public domain 

Via WIKIMEDIA COMMONS 

True Royalty

“True Royalty” and “Playing Robinson Crusoe” 

are pleasing stanzas from “The Just So Stories” 

of Rudyard Kipling (1865-).

There was never a Queen like Balkis,

From here to the wide world’s end;

But Balkis talked to a butterfly

As you would talk to a friend.

There was never a King like Solomon,

Not since the world began;

But Solomon talked to a butterfly

As a man would talk to a man.

She was Queen of Sabaea—

And he was Asia’s Lord—

But they both of ’em talked to butterflies

When they took their walks abroad.

Rudyard Kipling