• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Poetry Catalog

We honor great poets. We honor great poetry.

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Submit Your Work
  • Writers
  • Advertising / Subscription

The Widow at Windsor, By: Rudyard Kipling

October 26, 2026 by Editors

pc

‘Ave you ‘eard o’ the Widow at Windsor
With a hairy gold crown on ‘er ‘ead?
She ‘as ships on the foam—she ‘as millions at ‘ome,
An’ she pays us poor beggars in red.
(Ow, poor beggars in red!)

There’s ‘er nick on the cavalry ‘orses,
There’s ‘er mark on the medical stores—
An’ ‘er troopers you’ll find with a fair wind be’ind
That takes us to various wars.
(Poor beggars!—barbarious wars!)
Then ‘ere’s to the Widow at Windsor,
An’ ‘ere’s to the stores an’ the guns,
The men an’ the ‘orses what makes up the forces
O’ Missis Victorier’s sons.
(Poor beggars! Victorier’s sons!)

Walk wide o’ the Widow at Windsor,
For ‘alf o’ Creation she owns:
We ‘ave bought ‘er the same with the sword an’ the flame,
An’ we’ve salted it down with our bones.
(Poor beggars!—it’s blue with our bones!)
Hands off o’ the sons o’ the Widow,
Hands off o’ the goods in ‘er shop,
For the Kings must come down an’ the Emperors frown
When the Widow at Windsor says “Stop”!
(Poor beggars!—we’re sent to say “Stop”!)
Then ‘ere’s to the Lodge o’ the Widow,
From the Pole to the Tropics it runs—
To the Lodge that we tile with the rank an’ the file,
An’ open in form with the guns.
(Poor beggars!—it’s always they guns!)

We ‘ave ‘eard o’ the Widow at Windsor,
It’s safest to let ‘er alone:
For ‘er sentries we stand by the sea an’ the land
Wherever the bugles are blown.
(Poor beggars!—an’ don’t we get blown!)
Take ‘old o’ the Wings o’ the Mornin’,
An’ flop round the earth till you’re dead;
But you won’t get away from the tune that they play
To the bloomin’ old rag over’ead.
(Poor beggars!—it’s ‘ot over’ead!)
Then ‘ere’s to the sons o’ the Widow,
Wherever, ‘owever they roam.
‘Ere’s all they desire, an’ if they require
A speedy return to their ‘ome.
(Poor beggars!—they’ll never see ‘ome!)

Write poetry? Submit your poem to Poetry Catalog

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest

Related

Filed Under: Poems

Get Every Post In Your Inbox 😳

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.
(This is not the newsletter.)

Primary Sidebar

Never Miss A Poem (Newsletter)

Be Social

  • X
  • Facebook

Top Posts & Pages

  • Ghosts, By: Emily Dickinson
    Ghosts, By: Emily Dickinson
  • Poetry Submission Deadlines November 2026
    Poetry Submission Deadlines November 2026
  • November, By: Emily Dickinson
    November, By: Emily Dickinson
  • Ah, Sunflower, By: William Blake
    Ah, Sunflower, By: William Blake
  • Sonnets Upon The Punishment Of Death - In Series, 1839 – IV - Is 'Death', When Evil Against Good Has Fought, By: William Wordsworth
    Sonnets Upon The Punishment Of Death - In Series, 1839 – IV - Is 'Death', When Evil Against Good Has Fought, By: William Wordsworth
  • A Poison Tree Summary and Analysis
    A Poison Tree Summary and Analysis
  • Steamboats, Viaducts, And Railways, By: William Wordsworth
    Steamboats, Viaducts, And Railways, By: William Wordsworth
  • What Is O Captain! My Captain! About?
    What Is O Captain! My Captain! About?
  • I'm Nobody! Who Are You? Summary and Analysis
    I'm Nobody! Who Are You? Summary and Analysis
  • The Sleeper, By: Edgar Allan Poe
    The Sleeper, By: Edgar Allan Poe

Advertising/Subscribing = Loving

Buy Me A Coffee

Footer

Made with ❤ in Lubbock, TX.

Public Domain Poetry

Poetry Catalog Sponsors

Haiku Examples

Search

Copyright © 2026 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in