POEMS

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SEE IT THROUGH
Edgar A. Guest

When you’re up against a trouble,
Meet it squarely face to face:
Lift your chin and set your shoulders,
Plant your feet and take a brace:
When it’s vain to try and dodge it,
Do the best that you can do:
You may fail, but you may conquer,
See it though!

Black may be the clouds about you
And your future may seem grim,
But don’t let your nerve desert you;
Keep yourself in fighting trim.
If the worse is bound to happen,
Spite of all what you can do,
Running from it will not save you,
See it through!

Even hope may seem but futile,
When with troubles you’re beset,
But remember you are facing
Just what other men have met.
You may fail, but fall still fighting;
Don’t give up what e’er you do.
Eyes front, head high to the finish,
See it through!

MOTHER TO SON
Langston Hughes

Well son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards turn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor-
Bare.

But all the time
I’s been a-climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
and turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.

So boy, don’t you turn back.
Don’t you set on those steps
‘Caus you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you fall now-
For I’s still goin’, honey
I’s still climbin,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

GENTLEMAN

A gentleman is a person who is clean
inside and outside…..
Who neither looks up at the rich nor
down at the poor…..

A gentleman is a person who can lose
without squealing, and who can win
without bragging……

A gentleman is a person who is
considerate to women, children and
old people, who is too brave too lie,
too generous to cheat and too sensible
too loaf…..

A gentleman is a person who takes his
share of the world’s goods and let
other people take theirs.

EQUIPMENT

Figure it out for yourself, my lad,

You've all that the greatest of men have had,

Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes

And a brain to use if you would be wise.

With this equipment they all began,

So start for the top and say, "I can."

Look them over, the wise and great

They take their food from a common plate,

And similar knives and forks they use,

With similar laces they tie their shoes.

The world considers them brave and smart,

But you've all they had when they made their start.

You can triumph and come to skill,

You can be great if you only will.

You're well equipped for what fight you choose,

You have legs and arms and a brain to use,

And the man who has risen great deeds to do

Began his life with no more than you.

You are the handicap you must face,

You are the one who must choose your place,

You must say where you want to go,

How much you will study the truth to know.

God has equipped you for life, but He

Lets you decide what you want to be.

Courage must come from the soul within,

The man must furnish the will to win.

So figure it out for yourself, my lad.

You were born with all that the great have had,

With your equipment they all began,

Get hold of yourself and say: "I can."

--Edgar A. Guest