Writers
Poetry Conversations:
If—
By Gloria Gaither
Watch and listen as Gloria Gaither (a former high school English teacher) and Andy Andrews (a former high school poetry hater) discuss Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If—.” This incredible piece touches on humility, patience, arrogance, triumph, disasters, and begs the question, are you as comfortable and real everywhere in your life—from one place to another?
"If—" by Rudyard Kipling
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:
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:
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!’
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—you’ll be a Man, my son!
You Should’ve Never Said It
Have your words gotten you into a bit of trouble? Dan has been there. Here’s his perspective on your situation.
Storms of Perfection: Volume 1
Inspirational letters to the author from fifty of the world’s most successful people describe the most painful obstacles that they faced on...
How Do I Overcome Doubt?
I think doubt is the “big booger bear” of our lives. Doubt is like the thing that’s under the bed at night. That’s the...
Pepsi Fleet
Join Dr. Mark Foley for an intriguing look at a lesser-known Cold War story. Discover how Pepsi Cola, more than just a soft drink giant, ended up...
White Peas
Join Bob Woodall as he takes you through a delightful journey of cooking white peas, seasoned with humor and family memories. From hog jowl to...
The Bet
A banker and a lawyer make a wager…would you spend 15 years in solitary confinement for two-million dollars in 1870 (nearly $50 million today)? Read...
0 Comments