The collection is split into two halves. "Departmental Ditties," the first section, is made up of satirical poems that parody the administrative and bureaucratic features of British colonial life in India, the country where Kipling spent a large portion of his formative years. This section's poetry frequently offers amusing perspectives into the daily life of colonial establishment figures such as soldiers and government officials. The narrative and lyrical poetry in the collection's second section, "Ballads and Barrack Room Ballads," depict the experiences of British army soldiers. These poems explore the friendships, struggles, and distinctive features of military life while combining pathos, humour, and astute observations of human nature. All things considered, Kipling's "Departmental Ditties and Ballads and Barrack Room Ballads" exhibits his wit, astute social commentary, and masterful ability to capture the myriad personalities and settings of late 19th-century British colonial and military life.

"Departmental Ditties and Barrack Room Ballads" by Rudyard Kipling are a series of songs and poems dealing with the late-Victorian British Army and mostly written in a vernacular dialect. The series contains some of Kipling's best-known works, including the poems "Gunga Din", "Tommy", "Mandalay", and "Danny Deever", helping consolidate his early fame as a poet. In this volume, he collects poems from his published Barrack-Room Ballads and Other Verses" and "The Seven Seas," as well as brand new works.