What is the detailed summary of the poem 'if by rudyard kipling '?

The poem is a father defining for his son the qualities of
a good man.  he is setting the parameters or boundaries for his son and giving him a
goal to achieve.  The poem deals with life's challenges and hw to deal with
them.

Stanza one deals with being confident about the
decisions you make and taking responsibility for those decisions.  If others, who cannot
take that responsibility for themselves, react negatively, you will be patient with them
and not reduce yourself to their level by telling lies or dealing in hate.  However,
don't ever think you are above anyone else.

Stanza two
states that it is good to dream, but don't let your dreams control your life. It is good
to think, but those thoughts need to be put into action. You will experience both
triumph and disaster in your life.  Don't take them too seriously because they are not
the substance of life, they are the extremes.  If you hear things you said misused or
things you have done destroyed, you need to be able to pick yourself up and rebuild them
with everything you have left in you.

Stanza three counsels
not to be afraid to take risks and possible lose everything.  If you do lose everything,
don't talk about it, just start all over again at the beginning.  When you have pushed
yourself to your limit and you are tired and exhausted, use your mind and your will to
move yourself forward.  Push through it.

Stanza four deals
with a person's reaction to others.  You need to be able to talk to a large group of
people and not let them influence your belief in what is right, wrong, moral, or
immoral.  You need to be able to walk beside men of power and influence and yet not lose
touch with the common man and his needs.  You need to know yourself and your beliefs so
well that neither your friends nor your enemies can hurt you because you know who you
are and what you stand for.  People can depend on you, but don't let others become too
dependent on you.  It is important that you live every single minute of every single day
of your life to the fullest.  If you do these things, then the world is yours, and you
will be a good man.