It can be done
Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Anne Folland and PG Distributed
Proofreaders
JOSEPH MORRIS and ST. CLAIR ADAMS
This is a volume of inspirational poems. Its purpose is to bring men 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. It is better for this purpose than the entire works of any one poet, for it takes the cream of many and has greater diversity than any one writer can show.
It is made up chiefly of very recent poems—not such as were written for anthologies of poetical gems, but such as speak directly to the heart, always in very simple language, often in the phrases of shop or office or street. Included, however, with the poems of the day are a few of the fine old pieces that have been of comfort to men through the ages.
Besides the poems themselves, the volume contains helps to their understanding and enjoyment. The pieces are introduced by short comments; these serve the same purpose as the strain played by the pianist before the singer begins to sing; they create a mood, give a point of view, throw light on the meaning of what follows. Also the lives of the authors are briefly summarized; this is in answer to our natural interest in the writer of a poem we like, and in the case of living poets it brings together facts hardly to be found anywhere else.
Finally, the book is not one to be read and then cast aside. It is to be kept as a constant companion and an unfailing recourse in weariness or gloom. Human companions are not always in the mood to cheer us, and may talk upon themes we dislike. But this book will converse or be silent, it is never out of sorts or discouraged, and so far from being wed to some single topic, it will speak to us at any time on any subject we desire.
To many authors and publishers acknowledgment is due for generous permission to use copyright material.
Abou Ben Adhem……………………….. Leigh Hunt Answer, The………………………….. Grantland Rice Appreciation…………………………. William Judson Kibby Arrow and the Song, The……………….. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Awareness……………………………. Miriam Teichner
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IT CAN BE DONE
COLLECTED BY
FOREWORD
CONTENTS
IT CAN BE DONE
BE THE BEST OF WHATEVER YOU ARE
THE HOUSE BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
FOUR THINGS
IF
INVICTUS
IT COULDN'T BE DONE
THE WELCOME MAN
THE QUITTER
FRIENDS OF MINE
THE WOMAN WHO UNDERSTANDS
WANTED—A MAN
IF I SHOULD DIE
JUST BE GLAD
OPPORTUNITY
SOLITUDE
UNSUBDUED
WORK
HOW DID YOU DIE?
A LESSON FROM HISTORY
RABBI BEN EZRA
TO MELANCHOLY
THE LION PATH
THE ANSWER
THE WORLD IS AGAINST ME
SAY NOT THE STRUGGLE NOUGHT AVAILETH
WORTH WHILE
HOPE
I'M GLAD
THE CHAMBERED NAUTILUS
PIPPA'S SONG
OWNERSHIP
A SMILING PARADOX
THE NEW DUCKLING
CAN YOU SING A SONG?
KNOW THYSELF
JUST WHISTLE
"MIGHT HAVE BEEN"
THE ONE
THE JOY OF LIVING
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOMETHING TO DO
GOOD INTENTIONS
PHILOSOPHY FOR CROAKERS
THE FIGHTING FAILURE
DUTY
THE CALL OF THE UNBEATEN
POLONIUS'S ADVICE TO LAERTES
HOW DO YOU TACKLE YOUR WORK?
MAN OR MANIKIN
HAVING DONE AND DOING
FAITH
OPPORTUNITY
OPPORTUNITY
OPPORTUNITY
OPPORTUNITY
MY PHILOSOPHY
ULYSSES
PREPAREDNESS
THE WISDOM OF FOLLY
SEE IT THROUGH
DECEMBER 31
RING OUT, WILD BELLS
WORK
START WHERE YOU STAND
A HOPEFUL BROTHER
A SONG OF THANKSGIVING
LOSE THE DAY LOITERING
PLAYING THE GAME
RESOLVE
WHEN NATURE WANTS A MAN
ORDER AND THE BEES
SELF-DEPENDENCE
A LITTLE PRAYER
A MAN'S A MAN FOR A' THAT
LIFE AND DEATH
LIFE AND DEATH
ON BEING READY
TWO AT A FIRESIDE
TO-DAY
THE ARROW AND THE SONG
THE INNER LIGHT
THE THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE
THE HAS-BEENS
WISHING
AWARENESS
ONE OF THESE DAYS
GOD
MY TRIUMPH
TO ALTHEA FROM PRISON
GRIEF
THE RECTIFYING YEARS
TO THOSE WHO FAIL
HELPING' OUT
OPENING PARADISE
TO THE MEN WHO LOSE
IT MAY BE
LIFE
THE GRUMPY GUY
THE FIGHTER
TO YOUTH AFTER PAIN
CAN'T
THE STRUGGLE
HOLD FAST
WILL
THE GAME
COURAGE
A GOOD NAME
SWELLITIS
CARES
FAITH
PLAYING THE GAME
WHAT DARK DAYS DO
GLADNESS
IT WON'T STAY BLOWED
THE RAINBOW
THE FIRM OF GRIN AND BARRETT
CHALLENGE
YOUR MISSION
VICTORY
TIMES GO BY TURNS
TO-DAY
UNAFRAID
BORROWED FEATHERS
KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON
THE DISAPPOINTED
LET ME LIVE OUT MY YEARS
COLUMBUS
PER ASPERA
TIT FOR TAT
THE KINGDOM OF MAN
ABOU BEN ADHEM
THIS WORLD
GRAY DAYS
LAUGH A LITTLE BIT
A SONG OF LIFE
A POOR UNFORTUNATE
THE TRAINERS
LIFE
A TOAST TO MERRIMENT
MISTRESS FATE
SLEEP AND THE MONARCH
NEVER TROUBLE TROUBLE
CLEAR THE WAY
ONE FIGHT MORE
A PSALM OF LIFE
A CREED
BATTLE CRY
THE HAPPY HEART
IF YOU CAN'T GO OVER OR UNDER, GO ROUND
THICK IS THE DARKNESS
THE BELLY AND THE MEMBERS
THE CELESTIAL SURGEON
MAN, BIRD, AND GOD
HIS ALLY
SUBMISSION
A PRAYER
STABILITY
THE BARS OF FATE
ULTIMATE ACT
HE WHOM A DREAM HATH POSSESSED
SUCCESS
PLAY THE GAME
THE MAN WHO FRETS AT WORLDLY STRIFE
SERENITY
HERE'S HOPIN'
CLEON AND I
THE PESSIMIST
A PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED
PROSPICE
THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL
HEINELET
STAND FORTH!
LIONS AND ANTS
LIFE, NOT DEATH
THE UNMUSICAL SOLOIST
ON DOWN THE ROAD
MEETIN' TROUBLE
PRESS ON
MY CREED
CO-OPERATION
THE NOBLE NATURE
DAYS OF CHEER
DE SUNFLOWER AIN'T DE DAISY
THE DAFFODILS
A LITTLE THANKFUL SONG
TWO RAINDROPS
MY WAGE
THE GIFT
PROMETHEUS UNBOUND
VICTORY IN DEFEAT
THE RICHER MINES
BRAVE LIFE
A SONG OF TO-MORROW
THE GLAD SONG
PAINTING THE LILY
A PRETTY GOOD WORLD
ODE TO DUTY
THE SYNDICATED SMILE
FAIRY SONG
PRAISE THE GENEROUS GODS FOR GIVING
COWARDS
THE WORD
ENVOI
JAW
THE CONQUEROR
IS IT RAINING, LITTLE FLOWER?
GRADATIM
RULES FOR THE ROAD
LIFE
HOE YOUR ROW
BORROWING TROUBLE
UNDISMAYED
A HERO
WILL
FABLE
DUTY
PRAYER FOR PAIN
STEADFAST
IF
THE GIFTS OF GOD
A PHILOSOPHER
THE LIFE WITHOUT PASSION
CHARACTER OF A HAPPY LIFE
ESSENTIALS
THE STONE REJECTED
GOOD DEEDS
YOU MAY COUNT THAT DAY
SADNESS AND MERRIMENT
APPRECIATION
KEEP SWEET
MORALITY
A HYMN TO HAPPINESS
OPPORTUNITY
TO A YOUNG MAN
SLOGAN
SMILES
SIT DOWN, SAD SOUL
SONG OF ENDEAVOR
KEEP A-GOIN'!
WHEN EARTH'S LAST PICTURE IS PAINTED
INDEX BY AUTHORS