If you have ever felt defeated and wanted to quit, read this…
Feeling Overwhelmed
Many people, including me, have felt that heart break that the past 14 months have been filled with: Coronavirus, unemployment, children learning from home, political battling, injustice, and prejudice. Life has been emotionally, financially, and physically challenging, and devastating for so many women, men, and children. Whenever, my Blue Brain and Heart are feeling overwhelmed I take my antique poetry book off the bookshelf, in my office. Reading this book has brought me comfort and clarity for many years.
Love of Poetry
My Blue Brain has always loved poetry. One of my favorite books, in my personal library, is the antique poetry book I found in my Oak Park River Forest High School Library. It was small navy blue leather and gilded book that was originally published in 1921. I was delighted and grateful when one of the librarian used her Green Brain to research and find bookstore where I could purchase my own copy of It Can Be Done: Poems of Inspiration.
Inspiration
The Foreword in the book reads: This is volume of inspirational poems. Its purpose is to bring men (*and women) courage and resolution, to cheer them, to fire them with new confidence when they grow dispirited, to strengthen their faith that THINGS CAN BE DONE.
* Sheila’s addition
The Quitter
The poem below, entitled The Quitter, written by Robert W. Service, has always resonated with me whenever my Orange Brain has been courageous to overcome defeating or challenging situations.
The Quitter
When you’re lost in the Wild,
and you’re scared as a child,
And Death looks you bang in the eye,
And you’re sore as a boil,
it’s according to Hoyle,
But the Code of a Man says:
“Fight all you can,”
And self-dissolution is barred.
In hunger and woe, oh, it’s easy to blow . . .
It’s the hell-served-for-breakfast that’s hard.
You’re sick of the game?
Well, now, that’s a shame.
You’re young and you’re brave
and you’re bright.
You’ve had a raw deal I know —
but don’t squeal,
Buck up, do your damnedest, and fight.
It’s the plugging away that will
win you the day,
So don’t be a piker, old pard!
Just draw on your grit; it’s so easy to quit:
It’s the keeping-your-chin-up that’s hard.
It’s easy to cry that you’re beaten —
and die; It’s easy to crawfish and crawl;
But to fight and to fight when
hope’s out of sight —
Why, that’s the best game of them all!
And though you come out of
each grueling bout,
All broken and beaten and scarred,
Just have one more try —
it’s dead easy to die,
It’s the keeping-on-living that’s hard.
Closing Thought
I trust this poem has inspired you to be courageous and not quit! Please share this poem with others!
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