– by John Greenleaf Whittier When care is pressing you down a bit,Rest if you must, but don't you quit. It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit. So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit – Whittier is remembered particularly for his anti-slavery writings, as well as his 1866. Frequently listed as one of the fireside poets, he was influenced by the Scottish poet Robert Burns. When he might have captured the victor’s cup,Īnd he learned too late, when the night slipped down,Īnd you never can tell how close you are – John Greenleaf Whittier (Decem September 7, 1892) was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. When he might have won if he’d stuck it out.ĭon’t give up, though the pace seems slow – When funds are low and the debts are high,Īnd you want to smile but you have to sigh, When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill, It should be noted that there is a slightly different version of the Dont Quit poem that is attributed to John Greenleaf Whittier (1807 - 1892), however, our. Dont Quit by John Greenleaf Whittier When things go wrong as they sometimes will, When the road youre trudging seems all up hill, When the funds are low. When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, Success is failure turned inside out -The silver tint of the clouds of doubt. This poem will encourage your heart to keep going. Even if you do not believe you have the energy or desire to do it – try – stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit.Have you ever felt like quitting? We all have at times. Even if you are in isolation and continue to social distance it does not mean you should leave others alone. Phone people or even write a letter or post a card! Set up virtual meetings even if the person has never done it before. So, in Mental Health Awareness week, seek out those that you have not heard from recently, send texts or emails to friends or relatives that you may have lost touch with.
That is going to be a whole lot easier if we do it together. We cannot control the circumstance around us, but we must be brave enough to take control of how we respond to them. When you are out of control, when you cannot fix things, when your helplessness starts to overwhelm, then all we as individuals can do is to take back control.
So, for the vast majority the surrounding circumstances will be the most challenging they have every faced. No country is yet 100% in control of the pandemic or its impact on the lives of its citizens. Headnote: The reason I have chosen this poem as my favorite poem is because I find it very inspirational. The science around COVID-19 is currently neither exact nor conclusive. You may find other inspiration within its verse.įor me, the “ twists and turns” are all the shocking new statistics we hear on a daily basis, the global events, stories, surprises, limitations, successes, and failures that we are all undeniably witnessing.īut do we stop and give up? Do we stop dreaming, hoping, searching, or trying to make the best out of each locked down day? John Greenleaf Whittier suggests we do not. Do you furlough yourself and “ rest if you must” or as a company Director, continue at a financial loss to market your business as “you may succeed with another blow”?Įach of us will faces different challenges around the work that we do – this poem may help you if “the road your trudging seems all uphill”. My business, like millions of others, is unrecognisable from late February – how quickly life has changed, and priorities altered. It is that glimpse of hope when everything seems hopeless. “ The silver tint of the clouds of doubt” is maybe my pandemic “silver lining”. A very much needed positive mindset boost.
On Day 58 of our lockdown I find “Don’t Quit” even more relevant. Guest and originally called “ Keep Going” but even if the author is in doubt, the strength of its message during the pandemic, to me, is unquestionable. There has been a dispute that it was actually written by Edgar A. The BBC cited the author as John Greenleaf Whittier but the printed version I have kept for over 40 years simply states “ Anonymous”.
It took me back to my childhood as that is when I “discovered” the poem. Back in early April as the grip of COVID-19 tightened around the UK, the BBC presented a message of hope – Idris Elba read the poem Don’t Quit.
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