Five Poems You Need to Read (and should memorize!)

Hey Elflings!
I was reading some poems a few days back, and I wanted to share some of them with you.

(Note: These are in no particular "order-of-preference" whatsoever.)

Number One:

Preparedness
Edwin Markham

For all your days prepare,
And meet them all alike:
When you are the anvil, bear--
When you are the hammer, strike.
        

This is a short yet powerful poem. Be ready. You never know what's coming. Don't be caught off guard.

Number Two:

The Fool's Prayer
Edward Rowland Sill

The royal feast was done; the King
Sought some new sport to banish care,
And to his jester cried: "Sir Fool, 
Kneel now and make for us a prayer!"

The jester doffed his cap and bells,
And stood the mocking court before;
They could not see the bitter smile 
Behind the painted grin he wore.

He bowed his head, and bent his knee
Upon the monarch's silken stool;
His pleading voice arose: "Oh Lord, 
Be merciful to me, a fool!

"No pity, Lord, could change the heart
From red with wrong to white as wool;
The rod must heal the sin: but, Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

" 'T is not by guilt the onward sweep 
Of truth and right, oh Lord, we stay;
'T is by our follies that so long 
We hold the Earth from Heaven away.

"These clumsy feet, still in the mire,
Go crushing blossoms without end;
These hard, well-meaning hands we thrust
Among the heart-strings of a friend.

"The ill-timed truth we might have kept--
Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung!
The word we had not sense to say--
Who knows how grandly it had rung!

"Our faults no tenderness should ask,
The chastening stripes must cleanse them all;
But for our blunders--oh, in shame
Before the eyes of Heaven we fall.

"Earth bears no balsam for mistakes;
Men crown the knave and scourge the tool
That did his will; but thou, oh Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!"

The room was hushed; in silence rose
The King, and sought his gardens cool,
And walked apart, and murmured low:
"Be merciful to me, a fool!"

Wow, right? This one makes me think of the Bible verse from Psalms that says, "Though your servant is careful of them [God's laws], very diligent in keeping them, yet who can detect failings? Cleanse me from my unknown faults!" Beautiful! I myself am working on memorizing this poem.


Number Three:

A Friend's Greeting
Edgar A. Guest

I'd like to be the sort of friend that you have been to me;
I'd like to be the help that you've been always glad to be;
I'd like to mean as much to you each minute of the day
As you have meant, old friend of mine, to me along the way.

I'd like to do the big things and the splendid things for you,
To brush the gray from out your skies and leave them only blue;
I'd like to say the kindly things that I so oft have heard,
And feel that I could rouse your soul the way that mine you've stirred.

I'd like to give you back the joy that you have given me, 
Yet that were wishing you a need I hope, will never be;
I'd like to make you feel as rich as I, who travel on
Undaunted in the darkest hours with you to lean upon.

I'm wishing at this Christmas time that I could but repay
A portion of the gladness that you've strewn along my way;
And could I have one wish this year, this only would it be:
I'd like to be the sort of friend that you have been to me.

This is my heartfelt wish! Don't you just read this and respond from the depths of your soul, "Yes! Yes, this is how I feel too"? And sure, it says "Christmas" (and we're not there yet), but it goes year round, in my opinion!

Number Four:

I Shall Not Pass This Way Again
Author Unknown

Through this toilsome world, alas!
Once and only once I pass;
If a kindness I may show,
If a good deed I may do,
To a suffering fellow man,
Let me do it while I can.
No delay, for it is plain,
I shall not pass this way again.

MAKE THE MOST OF THE TIME YOU HAVE! At any time, you could die, and what would they remember you by? Make your life count!

Number Five:

Prayer of a Soldier in France
Joyce Kilmer

My shoulders ache beneath my pack
(Lie easier, Cross, upon His back).

I march with feet that burn and smart
(Tread, Holy Feet, upon my heart).

Men shout at me who may not speak
(They scourged Thy back and smote Thy cheek).

I may not lift a hand to clear 
My eyes of salty drops that sear.

(Then shall my fickle soul forget 
Thy Agony of Bloody Sweat?)

My rifle hand is stiff and numb
(From The pierced palm red rivers come).

Lord, thou didst suffer more for me
Than all the hosts of land and sea.

So let me render back again
This millionth of The gift. Amen.


What a beautiful poem! God has done the unthinkable for us... should we not do all we can for Him?



I hope you enjoyed this selection of poems, my Elflings! Read them, memorize them, share them! They come in handy for all situations. If you need something to put on a Christmas card, use A Friend's Greeting by Edgar A. Guest. If you need some motivation, recite Preparedness by Edwin Markham! Poems are super useful, and inspirational!

Have you ever read any of these poems before? Do you plan on memorizing any of them? Which one was your favorite?