As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of man
There are only four things certain since Social Progress began
That the dog returns to his vomit, and the sow returns to her mire
And the burnt Fool’s bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the fire
And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn
The Gods of the Copybook Headings with Terror and Slaughter return.
Rudyard Kipling apparently described himself as “a God-fearing Christian atheist.”
From his self-assessment—though his poetry sounds fluent—we can see the man was somewhat confused.