My favorite inspirational poem

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw of everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perserverance the race marked out for us." --Hebrews 12:1

Wow, Hawkeye, I really like that bit of scripture. It has urgency and power.

My other motivating poem is a bit dark but gets me at the primal level. The attitude behind it is what propelled me into tri-training. When I feel tired after training, I think of it.

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

- Dylan Thomas

"Don't Quit" has been a family favorite since I was a kid.  My mom had it on a plaque in the "Hall of Fame", a place in our house where my parents put up our certificates, awards, and trophies.  My brother kept in on a little piece of paper inside his football helmet during high school.  During games, we would see him take that slip of paper out, look at it, and put it back in place.  He went on to play college ball at Idaho State University, a bit on the small side for an inside linebacker, he still holds records for most tackles in the conference.  We've all carried it with us through life, thanks to our mom.

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow -
You might succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt -
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

- Unknown -

Edited by zagagirl 2005-02-18 3:38 PM