Poetry

If

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blame it on you.

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you

But making allowance for their doubting too.

If you can wait and not be tired of waiting,

Or being lied about - don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated – don’t give way to hating.

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 trust those two impostors just the same,

If you can bear to hear that you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves, to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken.

If you can make on heap of all your winnings,

And risk it on one turn or pitch or toss,

And lose – and start again at your beginnings,

And never breathe a word about your loss,

If you can forget your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they have gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you,

Except the will which says the them – hold on!

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings – nor lose your common touch

If neither foe, nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but not too much.

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds with of distant fun,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And – what is more – You’ll be a man, my son.

*unknown source

*This was found among my mom's paperwork when dealing with her estate, in with a collection of her favorite poetry. I thought it was quite powerful and wanted to share it with you today.  Unfortunately I could not find out who was the author of this piece of work - perhaps it is just one of those 'anonymous' authors out there.

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