It Couldn’t Be Done

Source: Business Insider India

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done 

      But he with a chuckle replied 

That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one 

      Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried. 

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin 

      On his face. If he worried he hid it. 

He started to sing as he tackled the thing 

      That couldn’t be done, and he did it! 

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that; 

      At least no one ever has done it;” 

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat 

      And the first thing we knew he’d begun it. 

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin, 

      Without any doubting or quiddit, 

He started to sing as he tackled the thing 

      That couldn’t be done, and he did it. 

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done, 

      There are thousands to prophesy failure, 

There are thousands to point out to you one by one, 

      The dangers that wait to assail you. 

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin, 

      Just take off your coat and go to it; 

Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing 

      That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

~ Edgar Albert Guest

On Quitting

Source: Favim

How much grit do you think you’ve got? 

Can you quit a thing that you like a lot? 

You may talk of pluck; it’s an easy word, 

And where’er you go it is often heard; 

But can you tell to a jot or guess 

Just how much courage you now possess? 

You may stand to trouble and keep your grin, 

But have you tackled self-discipline? 

Have you ever issued commands to you 

To quit the things that you like to do, 

And then, when tempted and sorely swayed, 

Those rigid orders have you obeyed? 

Don’t boast of your grit till you’ve tried it out, 

Nor prate to men of your courage stout, 

For it’s easy enough to retain a grin 

In the face of a fight there’s a chance to win, 

But the sort of grit that is good to own 

Is the stuff you need when you’re all alone. 

How much grit do you think you’ve got? 

Can you turn from joys that you like a lot? 

Have you ever tested yourself to know 

How far with yourself your will can go? 

If you want to know if you have grit, 

Just pick out a joy that you like, and quit. 

It’s bully sport and it’s open fight; 

It will keep you busy both day and night; 

For the toughest kind of a game you’ll find 

Is to make your body obey your mind. 

And you never will know what is meant by grit 

Unless there’s something you’ve tried to quit.

~ Edgar Albert Guest

Be a Friend

Source: Favim

Be a friend. You don't need money;

Just a disposition sunny;

Just the wish to help another

Get along some way or other;

Just a kindly hand extended

Out to one who's unbefriended;

Just the will to give or lend,

This will make you someone's friend.

Be a friend. You don't need glory.

Friendship is a simple story.

Pass by trifling errors blindly,

Gaze on honest effort kindly,

Cheer the youth who's bravely trying,

Pity him who's sadly sighing;

Just a little labor spend

On the duties of a friend.

Be a friend. The pay is bigger

(Though not written by a figure)

Than is earned by people clever

In what's merely self-endeavor.

You'll have friends instead of neighbors

For the profits of your labors;

You'll be richer in the end

Than a prince, if you're a friend.

~ Edgar Albert Guest