This choice of tense is crucial to the poem's message of advice and guidance. The present tense gives the advice a timeless quality, suggesting that these principles are universally applicable and relevant to all people, regardless of time period.
However, there are a few instances where Kipling uses the future tense, particularly when describing potential consequences or situations:
* "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same"
* "If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools"
* "If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run"
These uses of the future tense emphasize the potential challenges and obstacles one might face in life and how to navigate them. Overall, the predominant use of the present tense creates a sense of immediacy and emphasizes the enduring value of Kipling's advice.