Friday, December 14, 2012

Poetry Friday: Self-Esteem Week


This past week, I did a series of reviews called "Self-Esteem Week." This poem by Kipling is a classic "Believe In Yourself / Be Yourself" poem, and as I read it, it seemed that each of my posts this week fit with one of the stanzas. Pop over and check out the reviews, if you're so inclined, or just read the poem loud and proud as you sit up straight and tall and remind yourself to be 100% YOU! (...and I hope you don't mind the way I tweaked the ending of the poem...)

Jama has the roundup today at Jama's Alphabet Soup.





IF

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
(related self-esteem post here)

If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;
(related self-esteem post here)

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
(related self-esteem post here)

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---child, you'll be a great Human!
(Kipling's ending: "--you'll be a Man, my son!")
(related self-esteem post here)

Rudyard Kipling

4 comments:

  1. This is one of my favorites. I especially love the very first line. And the books you link to look fabulous.

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  2. I love the way you linked back to the books you'd shared...and so glad that you changed the last few words in Kipling's poem, high time someone did!

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  3. I needed to read this today -- thanks for linking to all your great reviews, too :).

    BTW, you look good in pink!

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