POEM NIGHTS

We used to have Poem Nights when our children were young and now we continue to do it with all the grandchildren. We are having another Poem Night in about three weeks. All the children are now learning their poems (or, I hope they are learning them) in readiness to recite at our evening. Every child will have an opportunity to share a poem, right down to the little ones, even if they can only memorize two lines! It won't be a short night with about 30 of them to have a turn!

Anyway, here is another poem our children learned when they were young. It's one by Edgar Guest, one of my favorite poets.

THE THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE

The things that haven't been done before,
Those are the things to try;
Columbus dreamed of an unknown shore
At the rim of the far-flung sky,
And his heart was bold and his faith was strong
As he ventured in dangers new,
And he paid no heed to the jeering throng
Or the fears of the doubting crew.

The many will follow the beaten track
With guideposts on the way.
They live and have lived for ages back
With a chart for every day.
Someone has told them it's safe to go
On the road he has traveled o'er,
And all that they ever strive to know
Are the things that were known before.

A few strike out without map or chart,
Where never a man has been,
From the beaten path they draw apart
To see what no man has seen.
There are deeds they hunger alone to do;
Though battered and bruised and sore,
They blaze the path for the many, who
Do nothing not done before.

The things that haven't been done before
Are the tasks worthwhile today;
Are you one of the flock that follows, or
Are you one that shall lead the way?
Are you one of the timid souls that quail
At the jeers of a doubting crew,
Or dare you, whether you win or fail,
Strike out for a goal that's new?

Our children loved the lines of the last stanza, and especially the last two lines...
"Or dare you, whether you win or fail,
Strike out for the goal that's new!"

They have done and are still doing things that others have never done before. Did the words they learned as a child have something to do with it?

Love from Nancy