Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ELIMINATE THE I, by BELLE RICHARDSON HARRISON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ELIMINATE THE I, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: You may not gather gold nor land
Last Line: Eliminate the I.
Subject(s): Conversation; Selfishness; Selflessness


YOU may not gather gold nor land,
Nor wear a jeweled crown;
You may not sway the multitude,
Nor gain a great renown;
But you'll always find a welcome,
And your friends will wish you nigh,
If you strive
In conversation to
Eliminate the I.

Your home is like a palace,
And your wife is hard to beat;
Your sons are modern Chesterfields,
Your daughters passing sweet:
Without your aid, I truly think,
These things your friends descry—
So no matter what
You talk about,
Eliminate the I.

Say your neighborhood is charming,
Or exactly the reverse,
Discuss the latest german
And its mazy steps rehearse;
Say grown up people fume and fret,
Say babies always cry—
But no matter what
You talk about,
Eliminate the I.

Say Easter dresses will be trimmed
In pleats or bias fold,
The wind is shifting to the west,
To-morrow will be cold;
You may talk on any subject
Underneath the arching sky—
But no matter what
You talk about,
Eliminate the I.

You may worship high officials
Or declare their course is wrong—
Shall a few men rule a nation,
When rights to all belong?
You may preach about the tariff,
Lauding low, condemning high—
But no matter what
You talk about,
Eliminate the I.

Dost hope to be a Talleyrand?—
A diplomat to be?—
Then treasure this advice—'twill prove
Invaluable to thee.
The rule is universal,
Will to every case apply—
No matter what
You talk about,
Eliminate the I.





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