Poetry of Edgar A. Guest (original) (raw)

I See You've Travelled Some He Who Serves The Brethren My Creed Results and Roses Be a Friend The real Successes It Couldn't Be Done Grace at Evening If You Would Please Me "Move We Adjourn" The Lambskin

I'd like to think when life is done That I had filled a needed post.That here and there I'd paid my fare With more than idle talk and boast;That I had taken gifts divine.The breath of life and manhood fine,And tried to use them now and thenIn service for my fellow men.2 I see you've travelled someWherever you may chance to be— Wherever you may roam,Far away in foreign lands; Or just at Home Sweet Home;It always gives you pleasure, it makes your heart strings humJust to hear the words of cheer, "I see you've travelled some." When you get a brother’s greeting, And he takes you by the hand,It thrills you with a feeling that you cannot understand,You feel that bond of brotherhood that tie that’s sure to comeWhen you hear him say in a friendly way "I see you've travelled some." And if you are a stranger, In strange lands all aloneIf fate has left you stranded— Dead broke and far from home,It thrills you—makes you dumb, When he says with a grip of fellowship,"I see you've travelled some." And when your final summons comes, To take a last long trip,Adorned with Lambskin Apron White and gems of fellowship—The Tiler at the Golden Gate, With Square and Level and PlumbWill size up your pin and say "Walk In", "I see you've travelled some."3 He Who ServesHe has not served who gathers gold, Nor has he served whose life is told In selfish battles he has won, Or deeds of skill that he has done; But he has served who now and then Has helped along his fellow men. The world needs many men today; Red-blooded men along life’s way, With cheerful smiles and helping hands, And with the faith that understands The beauty of the simple deedWhich serves another’s hour of need. Strong men to stand beside the weak, Kind men to hear what others speak; True men to keep our country’s laws And guard its honor and its cause; Men who will bravely play life’s game Nor ask rewards of gold or fame. Teach me to do the best I can To help and cheer our fellow man; Teach me to lose my selfish need And glory in the larger deed Which smoothes the road, and lights the day For all who chance to come my way. The BrethrenThe world is needing you and me, In places where we ought to be; Somewhere today it’s needing you To stand for what you know is true. And needing me somewhere today. To keep the faith, let come what may. The world needs honest men today To lead its youth along the way, Men who will write in all their deeds The beauty of their spoken creeds, And spurn advantage here and gain, On which deceit must leave its stain. The world needs men who will not brag, Men who will honor Freedom’s Flag, Men, who although the way is hard, Against the lure of shame will guard, The world needs gentle men and true And calls aloud to me and you. The world needs men of lofty aim, Not merely men of skill and fame, Not merely leaders wise and grave, Or learned men or soldiers brave, But men whose lives are fair to see, Such men as you and I can be.4 My CreedTo live as gently as I can; To be, no matter where, a man;To take what comes of good or illAnd cling to faith and honor still; To do my best, and let that stand The record of my brain and hand; And then, should failure come to me Still work and hope for victory. To have no secret place wherein I stoop unseen to shame or sin; To be the same when I'm alone As when my every deed is known; To live undaunted, unafraid Of any step that I have made; To be without pretense or sham, Exactly what men think I am. To leave some simple mark behind, To keep my having lived in mind;If enmity to aught I show, To be an honest, generous foe, To play my little part, nor whine That greater honors are not mine. This, I believe, is all I need For my philosophy and creed.Results and RosesThe man who wants a garden fair, Or small or very big,With flowers growing here and there, Must bend his back and dig. The things are mighty few on earth That wishes can attain.Whate'er we want of any worth We've got to work to gain. It matters not what goal you seek Its secret here reposes:You've got to dig from week to week To get Results or Roses.Be a FriendBe a friend. You don't need money: Just a disposition sunny; Just the wish to help another Get along some way or other; Just a kindly hand extended Out to one who’s unbefriended; Just the will to give or lend, This will make you someone’s friend. Be a friend. You don't need glory. Friendship is a simple story.Pass by trifling errors blindly,Gaze on honest effort kindly,Cheer the youth who’s bravely trying, Pity him who’s sadly sighing; Just a little labor spend On the duties of a friend. Be a friend. The pay is bigger(Though not written by a figure)Than is earned by people cleverIn what’s merely self-endeavor.You'Il have friends instead of neighborsFor the profits of your labors; You'Il be richer in the end Than a prince, if you're a friend.The Real SuccessesYou think that the failures are many, You think the successes are few,But you judge by the rule of the penny, And not by the good that men do.You judge men by standards of treasure That merely obtain upon earth,When the brother you're snubbing may measure Full-length to God’s standard of worth. The failures are not in the ditches, The failures are not in the ranks,They have missed the acquirement of riches Their fortunes are not in the banks.Their virtues are never paraded, Their worth is not always in view,But they're fighting their battles unaided And fighting them honestly, too. There are failures to-day in high places The failures aren't all in the low;There are rich men with scorn in their faces Whose homes are but castles of woe.The homes that are happy are many, And numberless fathers are true;And this is the standard, if any, By which we must judge what men do. Wherever loved ones are awaiting The toiler to kiss and �aress,Though in Bradstreet’s he hasn't a rating, He still is a splendid success.If the dear ones who gather about him And know what he’s striving to doHave never a reason to doubt him, Is he less successful than you?You think that the failures are many, You judge by men’s profits in gold;You judge by the rule of the penny-- In this true success isn't told.This falsely man’s story is telling, For wealth often brings on distress,.But wherever love brightens a dwelling, There lives, rich or poor, a success.It Couldn't Be DoneSomebody said that it couldn't be done, But he with a chuckle repliedThat "maybe it couldnt," but he would be one Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin On his face. If he worried he hid it.He started to sing as he tackled the thing That coUldn't be done, and he did it. Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that; At least no one ever has done it";But he took off his coat and he took off his hat, And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin, Without any doubting or quiddit,He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldn't be done, and he did it. There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done, There are thousands to prophesy failure;There are thousands to point out to you one by one, The dangers that wait to assail you. But just buckle in with a bit of a grin, Just take off your coat and go to it;Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing That "cannot be done," and you'Il do it.Grace at EveningFor all the beauties of the day, The innocence of childhood’s play, For health and strength and laughter sweet, Dear Lord, our thanks we now repeat. For this our daily gift of food We offer now our gratitude, For all the blessings we have known Our debt of gratefulness we own. Here at the table now we pray, Keep us together down the way; May this, our family circle, be Held fast by love and unity. Grant, when the shades of night shall fall, Sweet be the dreams of one and all; And when another day shall break Unto Thy service may we wake.If You Would Please MeIf you would please me when Ive passed away Let not your grief embitter you. Be brave; Turn with full courage from my mounded grave And smile upon the children at their play; Let them make merry in their usual way; Do not with sorrow those young lives enslave Or steal from them the fleeting joys they crave; Let not your grieving spoil their happy day.Live on as you have lived these many years, Still let your soul be gentle and be kind--I never liked to see those eyes in tears! Weep not too much that you must stay behind; Share in the lives of others as you'd share, If God had willed it still to leave me there.**"Move We Adjourn"**When I'm weary of argument wordy And tired of continuous debate,When the speaker like some hurdy gurdy, Which carries on early and late,Keeps up a monotonous bellowOn lessons I don't want to learn, 'Tis then I give cheers for the fellowWho rises and moves to adjourn. There are motions to lay on the table, There are motions for this and for that,And I stick just as long as I'm able And hark to the chatterer’s chat,I stand for the rising thanks motion For the one who has done a good turn,But my friend is the chap with the notion To get up and move to adjourn. There are some who like papers and speeches, And open discussions of things,The heights some new orator reaches, The lesson and message he brings.But each his own fancy must cling to, What one chooses others may spurn,So this simple tribute I sing to The brother who moves to adjourn!

1. William R. Denslow, 10,000 Famous Freemasons. vol. ii, p. 151. From an unidentified 1947 article.
2. Favorite Verse of Edger A Guest, New York Permabooks, 1950. titlepage. Other pages noted.
3. Ascribed to Guest by Dan Glenn, PM Kendall Lodge 897 Boerne, TX. Unconfirmed.
4. Ascribed to Guest at <www.calodges.org/no529/poetryaf.html#The Brethren>. Unconfirmed.