Poetry & Analysis
Selected Poems
Inspirational PoemsSay Not the Struggle Nought Availeth
Say not the struggle nought availeth,
The labour and the wounds are vain,
The enemy faints not, nor faileth,
And as things have been they remain.
If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars;
It may be, in yon smoke concealed,
Your comrades chase e’en now the fliers,
And, but for you, possess the field.
For while the tired waves, vainly breaking,
Seem here no painful inch to gain,
Far back, through creeks and inlets making,
Comes silent, flooding in, the main.
And not by eastern windows only,
When daylight comes, comes in the light;
In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly,
But westward, look, the land is bright.
Overview Short Summary
The poem argues against giving up too early, because effort may be working even when progress is not yet visible.
Core Ideas Main Themes
- Perseverance: The poem rejects the belief that struggle is useless.
- Hope: Hidden progress may already be happening beyond what we can see.
- Patience: Slow daylight becomes an image for gradual success.
Craft Literary Devices
- Imagery: Waves, daylight, smoke, and battle create visible pictures of unseen progress.
- Contrast: Fear and hope are set against each other to challenge despair.
Life
Life, believe, is not a dream
So dark as sages say;
Oft a little morning rain
Foretells a pleasant day.
Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;
If the shower will make the roses bloom,
O why lament its fall?
Rapidly, merrily,
Life’s sunny hours flit by,
Gratefully, cheerily,
Enjoy them as they fly!
What though Death at times steps in,
And calls our Best away?
What though sorrow seems to win,
O’er hope, a heavy sway?
Yet Hope again elastic springs,
Unconquered, though she fell;
Still buoyant are her golden wings,
Still strong to bear us well.
Manfully, fearlessly,
The day of trial bear,
For gloriously, victoriously,
Can courage quell despair!
Overview Short Summary
The poem encourages readers to face difficulty with courage, because hardship can become part of growth and renewal.
Core Ideas Main Themes
- Courage: The poem urges readers to bear the day of trial bravely.
- Hope: Hope returns even after sorrow seems to win.
- Growth: Rain becomes necessary for roses to bloom.
Emotional Effect Tone and Mood
The tone is reassuring and resilient, with a hopeful mood.
The Old Stoic
Riches I hold in light esteem,
And Love I laugh to scorn;
And lust of fame was but a dream,
That vanished with the morn:
And if I pray, the only prayer
That moves my lips for me
Is, “Leave the heart that now I bear,
And give me liberty!”
Yes, as my swift days near their goal,
’Tis all that I implore;
In life and death a chainless soul,
With courage to endure.
Overview Short Summary
This compact poem values inner freedom and endurance above wealth, fame, or easy approval.
Core Ideas Main Themes
- Endurance: The speaker asks for courage that can last through life and death.
- Independence: The “chainless soul” symbolizes mental freedom.
- Inner discipline: The poem rejects distractions that can weaken purpose.
Emotional Effect Tone and Mood
The tone is firm and austere, creating a mood of self-command.
Will
There is no chance, no destiny, no fate,
Can circumvent or hinder or control
The firm resolve of a determined soul.
Gifts count for nothing; will alone is great;
All things give way before it, soon or late.
What obstacle can stay the mighty force
Of the sea-seeking river in its course,
Or cause the ascending orb of day to wait?
Each well-born soul must win what it deserves.
Let the fool prate of luck. The fortunate
Is he whose earnest purpose never swerves,
Whose slightest action or inaction serves
The one great aim. Why, even Death stands still,
And waits an hour sometimes for such a will.
Overview Short Summary
The poem celebrates determined effort and argues that focused will is stronger than chance or excuse.
Core Ideas Main Themes
- Determination: A firm resolve becomes the central force of achievement.
- Purpose: Every action serves one great aim.
- Effort over luck: The poem directly rejects luck as the main reason for success.
Craft Literary Devices
- Metaphor: Will is compared to a river and the rising sun, both unstoppable forces.
- Personification: Death is imagined as pausing before a powerful will.
The Winds of Fate
One ship drives east and another drives west,
With the self-same winds that blow,
’Tis the set of the sails
And not the gales
That tell them the way to go.
Like the winds of the sea are the winds of fate,
As we voyage along through life,
’Tis the set of the soul
That decides its goal
And not the calm or the strife.
Overview Short Summary
The poem uses sailing as a simple metaphor for effort: circumstances matter, but direction depends on the soul’s set.
Core Ideas Main Themes
- Self-direction: The “set of the sails” represents attitude and choice.
- Effort: The poem suggests that people can work with conditions instead of being ruled by them.
- Purpose: A clear goal guides the voyage through calm or strife.
Emotional Effect Tone and Mood
The tone is calm and encouraging, with a practical mood.
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