A Collection from Old Books

"Keep a-Goin"
Written by Frank L. Stanton
Published 1898

“'Tain't no use to sit and whine / When the fish ain't on your line; / Bait your hook an' keep a-tryin'— / Keep a-goin'!” 🎣✨

If you are dealing with a setback this week, let Frank L. Stanton's 1898 poem, "Keep a-Goin'", be your gentle reality check and your biggest cheerleader.

Unlike heavy philosophical works, Stanton's poetry uses warm, everyday language to share a timeless truth: life is going to throw bad weather, empty pockets, and dry spells your way. Whining about it doesn't change the conditions—re-baiting your hook does.

“S'pose you're out o' ev'ry dime,
Gittin' broke ain't any crime;
Tell the world you're feelin' prime—
Keep a-goin'!”

It's an optimistic reminder that your attitude is a choice. When things get tough, don't stop. Just keep a-goin'!

What's one small thing you're pushing through this week? Let's encourage each other in the comments! 👇

"Concord Hymn"
Written by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Published July 4, 1837

Here once the embattled farmers stood, / And fired the shot heard round the world.” 🗽💥

On July 4, 1837, citizens gathered by the Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts, to dedicate a monument to the brave minutemen of 1775. For the event, local resident Ralph Waldo Emerson penned a poem to be sung by a choir. He called it the "Concord Hymn."

With just a few short verses, Emerson perfectly captured the monumental weight of ordinary people standing up for liberty. He didn't focus on grand generals or professional armies—he honored the "embattled farmers" who changed the course of global history from a small wooden bridge.

“The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.”

Emerson reminds us that while bridges crumble and generations pass, the spirit of freedom is something we must actively remember, honor, and pass down.

"The Flag Goes By"
Written by Henry Holcomb Bennett
Published January 13, 1898

Hats off! Along the street there comes / A blare of bugles, a ruffle of drums...” 🎺🥁🇺🇸

There’s nothing quite like the energy of a hometown parade when the colors fly by. Published in January 1898, Henry Holcomb Bennett’s classic poem, "The Flag Goes By," captures that exact moment of shared pride and reverence.

Bennett reminds us that when we look at the flag, we aren't just seeing blue, crimson, and white fabric. We are looking at history in motion—the sacrifices made to protect the country, the hard-fought years of peace, and the promise of equal justice and law.

“Sign of a nation, great and strong
To ward her people from foreign wrong:
Pride and glory and honor,—all
Live in the colors to stand or fall.”

Next time you see the flag passing by, take a moment to remember the deep history carried in those folds.

What does the flag represent to you and your family? 👇

"Gradatim"
Written by Josiah Gilbert Holland
Published mid-19th century

“Heaven is not reached at a single bound, / But we build the ladder by which we rise...” 🪜✨
Looking for a little push to keep going on your current goals? Josiah Gilbert Holland’s iconic poem, "Gradatim," is the perfect reminder that great things take time.

In a world obsessed with overnight success and instant gratification, Holland’s words offer a beautiful, grounding reality check: true growth happens incrementally, built upon our daily choices and conquered struggles.

“We rise by the things that are under feet;
By what we have mastered of good and gain;
By the pride deposed and the passion slain,
And the vanquished ills that we hourly meet.”

Every mistake you learn from and every small habit you build is just another rung on your ladder. Don’t get discouraged if you aren't at the top yet—just focus on making today's step count.

What small steps are you taking toward your bigger vision this week? 👇

"If"
Written by Rudyard Kipling
Published 1910

"If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster / And treat those two impostors just the same..." ⚖️

Written as a piece of fatherly advice to his son, John, Rudyard Kipling’s iconic poem "If—" (1910) serves as one of the greatest blueprints for personal character ever penned.

It doesn’t promise an easy life. Instead, it challenges us to master our internal world when our external world descends into chaos. Kipling reminds us that both immense success (Triumph) and crushing failure (Disaster) are fleeting "impostors"—neither one defines who we are.

“If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’”

True leadership and maturity aren't about avoiding the storms of life; they are about how we conduct ourselves while standing right in the middle of them.

Which "If" statement from this classic challenges you the most in your daily life? 💼👇

"She Walks in Beauty"
Written by George Gordon Byron
Published 1815

She walks in beauty, like the night / Of cloudless climes and starry skies…” ✨🌌

Written in 1814 and published the following year in his collection Hebrew Melodies, Lord Byron’s "She Walks in Beauty" remains one of the most famous love poems in the English language.

Interestingly, it wasn't written for a romantic partner. Byron was inspired after attending a London party where he saw his cousin-by-marriage, Mrs. Anne Beatrix Wilmot, wearing a beautiful mourning dress stitched with dark spangles. He was so struck by her striking grace and innocence that he went home and penned these verses.

Rather than focusing purely on physical attraction, Byron’s lines capture a flawless balance—where "all that’s best of dark and bright" meet in perfect harmony, reflecting a mind at peace and a heart that is innocent.

“One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;”

True elegance never goes out of style. Who does this poem remind you of today? 🖤

"The Own and the Pussy-Cat"
Written by Edward Lear
Published

Who remembers setting sail in a beautiful pea-green boat? ⛵️🐱🦉

First published in 1870, Edward Lear’s "The Owl and the Pussy-Cat" remains one of the most beloved nonsense poems ever written. Lear originally penned this charming, bizarre little tale to cheer up a friend's sick three-year-old daughter. Little did he know it would capture the hearts of millions for generations!

From wrapping up their five-pound note to buying a shilling ring from a Piggy-wig, it’s a brilliant reminder of how beautiful it is to step out of the logical world and embrace pure, joyful imagination.

“They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon...”

When was the last time you read this classic to the kids (or just to yourself)? 🌙✨

"Waiting"
Written by John Burroughs
Published 1863

Feeling overwhelmed by the constant pressure to hustle? Take a breath and read this. 🧘‍♂️✨

In 1862, a 25-year-old schoolteacher named John Burroughs was facing a incredibly gloomy period in his life. The Civil War was raging, his career was stalling, and the future felt completely uncertain. Sitting in a small back room, he penned a poem that would go on to comfort millions: "Waiting."

It’s a beautiful anthem for anyone who needs a reminder to pause, let go of what they cannot control, and trust that what is meant for them won’t pass them by.

“I stay my haste, I make delays,
For what avails this eager pace?
I stand amid the eternal ways,
And what is mine shall know my face.”

Have you been rushing too much lately? Let this be your sign to slow down today. 🌲

"Each In His Own Tongue"
Written by William Herbert Carruth
Published 1895

“Some call it Evolution, and others call it God.” 🌿✨

Ever read a piece of literature that completely shifts your perspective? Published over a century ago, William Herbert Carruth’s masterpiece, "Each in His Own Tongue," explores how different people interpret the beauty, wonder, and mystery of our world.

Whether looking at a hazy autumn sunset, the slow march of evolution, or a sudden spark of human kindness, Carruth reminds us that we all perceive the divine and the magnificent in our own unique ways.

“A picket frozen on duty,
A mother starved for her brood,
Socrates drinking the hemlock,
And Jesus on the rood;
And millions who, humble and nameless,
The straight, hard pathway trod—
Some call it Consecration,
And others call it God.”

It’s a beautiful reminder of unity and shared wonder in a world that often feels divided. What does this poem bring up for you?

"America for Me"
Written by Henry van D**e
Published 1911

The author, Van D**e, was an American poet who is better remembered for working as a Presbyterian clergyman and working as a lecturer in Paris. He spent time in countries around the world, including striving as Minister to the Netherlands and Luxembourg right as WWI was beginning. This poem is likely inspired by his experiences and his love for his home.

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