There is a tradition in my family that at around age 14 or 15, you get a book of poems called "101 Famous Poems" for Christmas. Years ago, my dad gave me mine, but unfortunately I haven't really gotten around to reading much of it. I'm not the BIGGEST fan of poetry, and what with all the insane amounts of reading I have for school, it's not really at the top of my list.
However, about a year ago I was looking through my dad's old, tattered copy, and I found a poem he had taped to the inside, by Edgar A. Guest. I liked it so much, I photocopied it and put it in my quote book. And now I'm sharing it here:
It Couldn't Be Done
Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn't," but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so til he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
Somebody scoffed, "Oh you'll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it":
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "cannot be done," and you'll do it.
I wish I could actually live by these words. I have a 10-12 page research paper due on Wed. that as of right now is seriously looking like it can't be done. :)