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Wilful-Missing Lyrics by Rudyard Kipling

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THERE is a world outside the one you know,
To which for curiousness ’Ell can’t compare—
It is the place where “wilful-missings” go,
As we can testify, for we are there.

You may ’ave read a bullet laid us low,
That we was gathered in “with reverent care”
And buried proper. But it was not so,
As we can testify, for we are there!

They can’t be certain—faces alter so
After the old aasvogel’s ’ad ’is share.
The uniform ’s the mark by which they go—
And—ain’t it odd?—the one we best can spare.

We might ’ave seen our chance to cut the show—
Name, number, record, an’ begin elsewhere
Leavin’ some not too late-lamented foe
One funeral—private—British—for ’is share.

We may ’ave took it yonder in the Low
Bush-veldt that sends men stragglin’ unaware
Among the Kaffirs, till their columns go,
An’ they are left past call or count or care.

We might ’ave been your lovers long ago,
’Usbands or children—comfort or despair.
Our death (an’ burial) settles all we owe,
An’ why we done it is our own affair.

Marry again, and we will not say no,
Nor come to barstardise the kids you bear.
Wait on in ’ope—you’ve all your life below
Before you’ll ever ’ear us on the stair.

There is no need to give our reasons, though
Gawd knows we all ’ad reasons which were fair;
But other people might not judge ’em so—
And now it doesn’t matter what they were.

What man can weigh or size another’s woe?
There are some things too bitter ’ard to bear.
Suffice it we ’ave finished—Domino!
As we can testify, for we are there,
In the side-world where “wilful-missings” go.
Credits
Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling

About “Wilful-Missing” by Rudyard Kipling

Read the complete lyrics to "Wilful-Missing" by Rudyard Kipling. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"Wilful-Missing" is performed by Rudyard Kipling. This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Wilful-Missing", explore more songs by Rudyard Kipling using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Rudyard Kipling · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Wilful-Missing" is credited to Rudyard Kipling. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

Album information for "Wilful-Missing" is not available in our database yet. You can still read the full lyrics on this page.

Visit the Rudyard Kipling artist page at /artist/rudyard-kipling for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

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