When Earth's Last Picture Is Painted

When Earth's Last Picture is Painted 

" The True Spirit of Work"

 Rudyard Kipling 1865 - 1936

 British author and poet, born in India. In 1907, at the age of 42, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, making him the youngest ever recipient. 

He was also the first English language writer to receive the prize.

When Earth's last picture is painted

And the tubes are twisted and dried

When the oldest colours have faded

And the youngest critic has died

We shall rest, and faith, we shall need it 

Lie down for an aeon or two 

'Till the Master of all good workmen

Shall put us to work anew.

And those that were good shall be happy 

They'll sit in a golden chair

They'll splash at a ten league canvas

With brushes of comet's hair 

They'll find real saints to draw from

Magdalene, Peter, and Paul

They'll work for an age at a sitting

And never be tired at all. 

And only the Master shall praise us. 

And only the Master shall blame. 

And no one will work for the money. 

No one will work for the fame. 

But each for the joy of the working, 

And each, in his separate star, 

Will draw the thing as he sees it. 

For the God of things as they are!