Favorite Poems of Mine...

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to laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayel of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a little bit better,
whether by a healthy child, a garden patch,
or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived,
this is to have succeeded.

EMERSON

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If Ever You've Lived on an Island

If ever you’ve lived on an island
If ever you’ve lived by the sea;
You’ll never return to the mainland
Once your spirit has been set free.

If ever you’ve smelled the ocean
Or tasted the salt in the air;
You’ll know you’ve discovered a haven
That is uncommon, precious and rare.

If ever you’ve seen the whales play
Or watched the eagles in flight;
You’ll remember, again, why you
Live here and why it feels so right.

If ever you’ve seen the sunset
As the ferry passed the shore;
You’ve seen the beauty of the island,
That will be with you forever more.

If ever you’ve heard the seagulls
The waves, a foghorn, the winds;
Then you’ve heard the song of the island
And the peaceful message it sends.

Indeed, if you live on an island,
If you’re lucky to live by the sea,
You’ll never return to the mainland
As your spirit has been set free.