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Inspirational Poems,
Quotes & Prayers
These are some poems that I have read and collected over the years,
and some that I have just gotten from the 'net. Poems that have inspired
me....I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
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.
STOPPING IN THE WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING
by Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
And miles to go before I sleep.
THERE'S TIME
by Alan Cook
You're young! There's time to drink
the cup of life,
To live, to love, to play, to dance, to fly,
To dream, to dare, to wield the whetted knife
And slash through doubt and boredom till
they die.
You're young! There's time to see the
positive,
Allow the light to permeate your soul;
Embrace the world, to smile and to forgive;
There's time to see the doughnut, not the
hole.
You're young! There's time to venture
brave and bold,
To worry not about how steep the climb.
Have no regrets when one day you grow old,
And do not say, "Alas, there was no time!"
LISTEN TO THE MUSTN'TS
by Shel Silverstein
Listen to Mustn'ts, child, listen to the
Don'ts.
Listen to the Shouldn'ts, the Impossibles,
the Won'ts.
Listen to the Never Haves, then listen close
to me.
Anything can happen, child, Anything can
be.
IT'S ALL IN A STATE OF MIND
If you think you are beaten, you are:
If you think you dare not, you won't
If you like to win, but don't think you can
It's almost certain you won't.
If you think you'll lose, you're lost;
For out in the world you'll find
Success begins with a fellow's will;
It's all in a state of mind.
For many a game is lost,
Ere even a play is run,
And many a coward fails
Ere even his work begun.
Think big and your deeds will grow,
Think small and you'll fall behind;
Think that you CAN and you WILL;
It's all in a state of mind.
If you think you are out-classed, you are;
You've got to think high to rise;
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the fellow who thinks he can.
FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND
by Mary Stevenson
(1936)
One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along
the beach with the Lord.
Across the sky flashed scenes
from his life.
For each scene, he noticed
two sets of footprints in the sand:
One belonging to him, and the
other to the lord.
When the last scene of his
life flashed before him,
He looked back at the footprints
in the sand.
He noticed that many times
along the path of his life there
was only one set of
footprints.
He also noticed that it happened
at the very lowest and saddest times
in his life.
This really bothered him and
he questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, You said that once I
decided to follow You,
You'd walk with me all the
way.
But I have noticed that during
the most troublesome times in my life,
There is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when
I needed You most You would leave me."
The Lord replied,
"My son, My precious child,
I love you and would never
leave you.
During your times of trial
and suffering,
When you see only one set of
footprints,
It was then that I carried
you."
Phenomenal Woman
by Maya Angelou
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit
a fashion model's size
but when I start to tell them
they think I'm telling lies.
I say, it's in the reach of my arm,
the span of my hips,
the stride of my step,
the curl of my lips.
I am a woman
phenomenally
Phenomenal Woman
that's me
I walk into a room just cool as you please
and to a man, the fellows stand
or fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
a hive of honey bees.
I say, it's the fire in my eyes and
the flash of my teeth,
the swing in my waist and
the joy in my feet.
I am a woman
phenomenally
Phenomenal Woman
that's me.
Men themselves have wondered what they see
in me.
They try so much but they can't touch
my inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
they say they still can't see.
I say, it's in the arch of my back,
the sun of my smile,
the ride of my breast,
the grace of my style.
I am a woman
phenomenally
Phenomenal Woman
that's me.
Now you understand
why my head is not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about or talk real
loud.
When you see me passing,
it ought to make you proud.
I say, it's in the click of my heels,
the bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
the need for my care
'cause I'm a woman
phenomenally
Phenomenal Woman
that's me.
The Serenity Prayer
By Reinhold Niebuhr
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Take Time
Unknown
Take time to think;
it is the source of power.
Take time to read;
it is the foundation of wisdom.
Take time to play.
it is the secret of staying young.
Take time to be quiet;
it is the opportunity to seek God.
Take time to be aware;
it is the opportunity to help others.
Take time to love and be loved;
it is God's greates gift.
Take time to laught;
it is the music of the soul.
Take time to be friendly;
it is the road to happiness.
Take time to dream;
it is what the future is made of.
Take time to pray;
it is the greatest power on earth.
Don't Quit
by Jill Wolf
Don't quit when the tide is lowest,
For it's just about to turn;
Don't quit over doubts and questions,
For there's something you may learn.
Don't quit when the night is darkest,
For it's just a while 'til dawn;
Don't quit when you've run the farthest,
For the race is almost won.
Don't quit when the hill is steepest,
For your goal is almost nigh;
Don't quit, for you're not a failure
Until you fail to try.
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