Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE PHILOSOPHER, by BERTON BRALEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE PHILOSOPHER, by                 Poet's Biography
First Line: I had great hopes in my tender youth
Last Line: I'll worry along without it!
Subject(s): Philosophy & Philosophers


I had great hopes in my tender youth
Of winning a certain maiden
And all of my thoughts and dreams, in truth,
With love of that lass were laden.
All I could do and think and plan
Was centered and fixed about her,
But when she married another man
I worried along without her.

And then I figured on wealth and fame
As things that were worth the getting,
And spent long years as I sought acclaim
With plenty of toil and fretting,
But wealth and honor were not for me
And though I would never flout them
I bow to destiny's harsh decree
And worry along without them.

It isn't fun when you fail to win
The things that you think essential
But in time you learn to lose—and grin,
A fact that is providential;
The dreams that I set my heart upon
Are lost—and it's tough, don't doubt it;
Life's left—and I guess when that is gone
I'll worry along without it!





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