In Spite Of War

Equipment

By Edgar Guest

Figure it out for yourself, my lad,

You've all that the greatest of men have had,

Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes,

And a brain to use if you would be wise.

With this equipment they all began,

So start for the top and say "I can."

Look them over, the wise and great,

They take their food from a common plate

And similar knives and forks they use,

With similar laces they tie their shoes,

The world considers them brave and smart.

But you've all they had when they made their start.

You can triumph and come to skill,

You can be great if only you will,

You're well equipped for what fight you choose,

You have legs and arms and a brain to use,

And the man who has risen, great deeds to do

Began his life with no more than you.

You are the handicap you must face,

You are the one who must choose your place,

You must say where you want to go.

How much you will study the truth to know,

God has equipped you for life, But He

Lets you decide what you want to be.

Courage must come from the soul within,

The man must furnish the will to win,

So figure it out for yourself, my lad,

You were born with all that the great have had,

With your equipment they all began.

Get hold of yourself, and say: "I can."

The Road Not Taken

By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth; 

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim

Because it was grassy and wanted wear,

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day! 

Yet knowing how way leads on to way

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference

In Spite Of War

By Angela Morgan

In spite of war, in spite of death, 

In spite of all man's sufferings, 

Something within me laughs and sings 

And I must praise with all my breath. 

In spite of war, in spite of hate 

Lilacs are blooming at my gate, 

Tulips are tripping down the path 

In spite of war, in spite of wrath. 

"Courage!" the morning-glory saith; 

"Rejoice!" the daisy murmureth, 

And just to live is so divine 

When pansies lift their eyes to mine. 

The clouds are romping with the sea, 

And flashing waves call back to me 

That naught is real but what is fair, 

That everywhere and everywhere 

A glory liveth through despair. 

Though guns may roar and cannon boom, 

Roses are born and gardens bloom; 

My spirit still may light its flame 

At that same torch whence poppies came. 

Where morning's altar whitely burns 

Lilies may lift their silver urns 

In spite of war, in spite of shame. 

And in my ear a whispering breath, 

"Wake from the nightmare! Look and see 

That life is naught but ecstasy 

In spite of war, in spite of death!".