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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TO AN AMERICAN BOY, by JOHN TROTWOOD MOORE Poet's Biography
First Line: Be manly, lad-your folks have made
Last Line: Is the home of dwarfs and pigmies!
Subject(s): Idleness; Laziness; Sloth; Indolence
First Line: Be manly, lad-your folks have made
Last Line: Is the home of dwarfs and pigmies!
Subject(s): Idleness; Laziness; Sloth; Indolence
BE manly, lad—your folks have made
Their way by work and waiting,
Be manly, lad—a spade's a spade
Though it hath a silver plating.
For all must work or all must steal—
What's idleness but stealing?
To each will come his woe and weal
His weak or strong revealing.
And work makes brains, but error's chains
Are forged in fashion's idleness!
Be honest, lad—you weaker grow
From gain that's falsely gotten.
Be honest, lad—what's outward show
When all within is rotten?
For each must live or each must die—
What's honor lost, but dying?
To live with Truth and you a lie!—
Was ever death more trying?
And Truth makes men—but falsehood's den
Is the home of dwarfs and pigmies!
Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!
Other Poems of Interest...
AGAINST WHATEVER IT IS THAT'S ENCROACHING by CHARLES SIMIC
NIKOS AT 42 by REETIKA VAZIRANI
ODE ON INDOLENCE by JOHN KEATS
IDLENESS by SILAS WEIR MITCHELL
VAIN EXCUSE by WALTER CONRAD ARENSBERG
A HARVEST SONG by JOHN TROTWOOD MOORE
A MEMORIAL DAY POEM FOR THE CONFEDERACY by JOHN TROTWOOD MOORE