Carry defeat
With a conquering air
Les passers pity
Lest strangers stare.
Shelter sorrow
In shimmering pride
Les friends deplore
Lest foes deride.
But weep, weep well
When you’re all alone
Lest your heart congeal
To a small stone.
–Good Housekeeping, August 1946
–reprinted in Because It’s Here
A trusting eager child, he was derided,
Made shrinkingly aware of lack of worth
When one he loved rejected work he prided
Himself on, and he hid it in the earth.
So later, entrusted with one precious thing,
He his it lest he lost it, for he fearer.
He bears his punishment; and time will bring
An equal recompense to one who jeered.
— From Because It’s Here (written in 1948?)
The careful, unremitting work
I did has not availed.
I gave my best to one large task,
And now I know I failed.
Today I’ll do the little things,
The things I can do best.
I’ll do the little, easy things
And give my heart a rest.
A dozen little things, well done,
Will lighten failure’s sorrow
And give me strength to try, once more,
The larger task tomorrow.
–From In Green Pastures (written in 1948?)