The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Heap o' Livin', by Edgar A. Guest

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: A Heap o' Livin'

Author: Edgar A. Guest

Release Date: April 29, 2008 [EBook #328]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A HEAP O' LIVIN' ***

A Heap o' Livin'

by

Edgar A. Guest

    To
    Marjorie and Buddy
    this little book of verse
    is affectionately
    dedicated
    by their Daddy

{11}

WHEN YOU KNOW A FELLOW

  When you get to know a fellow, know his joys
    and know his cares,
  When you've come to understand him and the
    burdens that he bears,
  When you've learned the fight he's making and
    the troubles in his way,
  Then you find that he is different than you
    thought him yesterday.
  You find his faults are trivial and there's not so
    much to blame
  In the brother that you jeered at when you only
    knew his name.

  You are quick to see the blemish in the distant
    neighbor's style,
  You can point to all his errors and may sneer
    at him the while,
  And your prejudices fatten and your hates
    more violent grow
  As you talk about the failures of the man you
    do not know,
  But when drawn a little closer, and your hands
    and shoulders touch,
  You find the traits you hated really don't
    amount to much.

  When you get to know a fellow, know his every
    mood and whim,
  You begin to find the texture of the splendid
    side of him;
  You begin to understand him, and you cease to
    scoff and sneer,
  For with understanding always prejudices disappear.
  You begin to find his virtues and his faults you
    cease to tell,
  For you seldom hate a fellow when you know
    him very well.

  When next you start in sneering and your
    phrases turn to blame,
  Know more of him you censure than his business
    and his name;
  For it's likely that acquaintance would your
    prejudice dispel
  And you'd really come to like him if you
    knew him very well.
  When you get to know a fellow and you understand
    his ways,
  Then his faults won't really matter, for you'll
    find a lot to praise.

{13}

THE ROUGH LITTLE RASCAL

  A smudge on his nose and a smear on his cheek
  And knees that might not have been washed in a week;
  A bump on his forehead, a scar on his lip,
  A relic of many a tumble and trip:
  A rough little, tough little rascal, but sweet,
  Is he that each evening I'm eager to meet.

  A brow that is beady with jewels of sweat;
  A face that's as black as a visage can get;
  A suit that at noon was a garment of white,
  Now one that his mother declares is a fright:
  A fun-loving, sun-loving rascal, and fine,
  Is he that comes placing his black fist in mine.

  A crop of brown hair that is tousled and tossed;
  A waist from which two of the buttons are lost;
  A smile that shines out through the dirt and the grime,
  And eyes that are flashing delight all the time:
  All these are the joys that I'm eager to meet
  And look for the moment I get to my street.

{14}

IT ISN'T COSTLY

  Does the grouch get richer quicker than the
     friendly sort of man?
  Can the grumbler labor better than the cheerful
     fellow can?
  Is the mean and churlish neighbor any cleverer
     than the one
  Who shouts a glad "good morning," and then
     smiling passes on?

  Just stop and think about it. Have you ever
     known or seen
  A mean man who succeeded, just because he
     was so mean?
  When you find a grouch with honors and with
     money in his pouch,
  You can bet he didn't win them just because
     he was a grouch.

  Oh, you'll not be any poorer if you smile along
     your way,
  And your lot will not be harder for the kindly
     things you say.
  Don't imagine you are wasting time for others
     that you spend:
  You can rise to wealth and glory and still pause
     to be a friend.

{15}

MY CREED

  To live as gently as I can;
  To be, no matter where, a man;
  To take what comes of good or ill
  And 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.

{16}

A WISH

  I'd like to be a boy again, a care-free prince of
      joy again,
    I'd like to tread the hills and dales the way I
      used to do;
  I'd like the tattered shirt again, the knickers
      thick with dirt again,
    The ugly, dusty feet again that long ago I
      knew.
  I'd like to play first base again, and Sliver's
      curves to face again,
    I'd like to climb, the way I did, a friendly
      apple tree;
  For, knowing what I do to-day, could I but
      wander back and play,
    I'd get full measure of the joy that boyhood
      gave to me.

  I'd like to be a lad again, a youngster, wild and
      glad again,
    I'd like to sleep and eat again the way I used
      to do;
  I'd like to race and run again, and drain from
      life its fun again,
    And start another round of joy the moment
      one was through.
  But care and strife have come to me, and often
      days are glum to me,

{17}

    And sleep is not the thing it was and food