The poem is about a British soldier reminiscing about his time in Burma and his love for a Burmese girl. He remembers them watching the steamers and elephants together. Now back in London, he is sick of the city and longs to return to the East, where he can hear the temple bells and smell the spices. He wants to be back in Mandalay by the old pagoda, looking out to sea.

1. On the Road to Mandalay
Rudyard Kipling, 1865-1936
By the old Moulmein Pagoda, But that's all shove be'ind me -
Lookin' eastward to the sea, Long ago an' fur away,
There's a Burma girl a-settin', An' there ain't no 'busses runnin'
And I know she thinks o' me; From the Bank to Mandalay;
For the wind is in the palm-trees, An' I'm learnin' 'ere in London
And the temple-bells they say: What the ten-year soldier tells:
quot;Come you back, you British soldier; quot;If you've 'eard the East a-callin',
Come you back to Mandalay!quot; You won't never 'eed naught else.quot;
Come you back to Mandalay, No! you won't 'eed nothin' else
Where the old Flotilla lay: But them spicy garlic smells,
Can't you 'ear their paddles chunkin' An' the sunshine an' the palm-trees
From Rangoon to Mandalay? An' the tinkly temple-bells;
On the road to Mandalay, On the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin'-fishes play, Where the flyin'-fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder An' the dawn comes up like thunder
Outer China 'crost the Bay! Outer China 'crost the Bay!
'Er petticoat was yaller I am sick o' wastin' leather
An' 'er little cap was green, On these gritty pavin' stones,
An' 'er name was Supi-yaw-lat - An' the blasted English drizzle
Jes' the same as Theebaw's Queen, Wakes the fever in my bones;
An' I seed her first a-smoking 'Tho' I walks with fifty 'ousemaids
Of a whackin' white cheroot, Outer Chelsea to the Strand,
An' a-wastin' Christian kisses An' they talks a lot o' lovin',
On an 'eathen idol's foot: But wot do they understand?
Bloomin' idol made o' mud - Beefy face an' grubby 'and -
Wot they called the Great Gawd Budd - Law! wot do they understand?
Plucky lot she cared for idols I've a neater, sweeter maiden
When I kissed 'er where she stud! In a cleaner, greener land!
On the road to Mandalay, On the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin'-fishes play, Where the flyin'-fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder An' the dawn comes up like thunder
Outer China 'crost the Bay! Outer China 'crost the Bay!
When the mist was on the rice-fields Ship me somewheres east of Suez,
An' the sun was droppin' slow, Where the best is like the worst,
She'd git 'er little banjo an' Where there aren't no Ten Commandments
She'd sing, quot;Kulla-lo-lo!quot; An' a man can raise a thirst;
With 'er arm upon my shoulder For the temple-bells are callin',
An' 'er cheek agin' my cheek And it's there that I would be -
We useter watch the steamers an' By the old Moulmein Pagoda,
The hathis piling teak. Looking lazy at the sea;
Elephints a-pilin' teak On the road to Mandalay,
In the sludgy, squudgy creek, Where the old Flotilla lay,
Where the silence 'ung that 'eavy With our sick beneath the awnings
You was 'arf afraid to speak! When we went to Mandalay!
On the road to Mandalay, On the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin'-fishes play, Where the flyin'-fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder An' the dawn comes up like thunder
Outer China 'crost the Bay! Outer China 'crost the Bay!