IF

If you can take a bowl and put in some dried fruit

Add some orange peel and sherry just to suit

If you can wait three days and not be tired of waiting

Grease a large cake tin and prepare to do some baking

If you can beat four eggs add self raising and plain flours

Stir it all together place in the oven for four hours

If you can meet success and disaster and treat these imposters both the same

When you take it from the oven if it's good don't be too vain

If it's bad then pick up your tools.and start from the beginning

Know sometimes you will lose and sometimes you will be winning

If you can force your heart and sinew to serve long after they have gone

Not breathe a word about your loss just smile and carry on

This title will be yours to take Kipling makes an exceedingly good cake

If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run

Yours is the kitchen and all that's in it and what is more you'll be a cook my son