Poetry & Analysis
Selected Poems
Inspirational PoemsGod Give Us Men!
God, give us men! A time like this demands
Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands;
Men whom the lust of office does not kill;
Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy;
Men who possess opinions and a will;
Men who have honor; men who will not lie;
Men who can stand before a demagogue
And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking!
Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog
In public duty and in private thinking;
For while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds,
Their large professions and their little deeds,
Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps,
Wrong rules the land and waiting Justice sleeps.
Overview Short Summary
Holland’s poem is about courage, integrity, and public challenge. It fits poems about courage and strength because it asks for people who can stand firm when society is weak or corrupt.
Core Ideas Main Themes
- Courage: The poem asks for people with strong minds and ready hands.
- Integrity: Honor and truth are central to the kind of strength needed.
- Facing challenges: The time demands people who can resist corruption and fear.
Emotional Effect Tone and Mood
The tone is urgent, public, and forceful. The mood is serious because justice and freedom are at risk.
Literary Technique Imagery and Symbols
Strong minds, great hearts, fog, freedom weeping, wrong ruling, and justice sleeping create a public crisis image.
Poetic Form Rhyme Scheme and Structure
The poem’s repeated “Men” creates a strong rhetorical call.
Reader Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best poems about overcoming challenges?
Some of the best poems about overcoming challenges are “Invictus,” “If—,” “A Psalm of Life,” “Life,” “Good Timber,” “Say Not the Struggle Nought Availeth,” “The Ladder of St. Augustine,” “Ulysses,” “Up-Hill,” and “The Rainy Day.” These poems cover resilience, perseverance, hard times, hope, strength, and never giving up.
What is a short poem about overcoming challenges?
“Invictus,” “Hope is the thing with feathers,” “Will,” “The Noble Nature,” “My Wage,” and “Be the Best of Whatever You Are” are useful short poems about overcoming challenges. They are easy to read and focus on strength, hope, self-belief, and courage.
Which poems are good for overcoming challenges for students?
Good overcoming challenges poems for students include “If—,” “A Psalm of Life,” “Good Timber,” “Be the Best of Whatever You Are,” “Opportunity,” “Life,” and “Hope is the thing with feathers.” These poems work well for classroom reading, motivation, school speeches, and student encouragement.
Which poems are about resilience and perseverance?
Strong resilience and perseverance poems include “Invictus,” “If—,” “Good Timber,” “Say Not the Struggle Nought Availeth,” “Ulysses,” “The Chambered Nautilus,” and “The Ladder of St. Augustine.” These poems show that strength often grows through struggle.
What keywords does this collection cover?
This collection naturally covers poems about overcoming challenges, overcoming challenges poems, short poems about overcoming challenges, poems about overcoming life challenges, poems about facing challenges, poems about overcoming obstacles, poems about overcoming hardships, poems about overcoming adversity, poems about resilience, resilience poems, poems about perseverance, perseverance poems, poems about never giving up, poems about staying strong, and poems about hope and strength.
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