Don’t Quit Poem by Edgar Albert Guest
Is there anything more inspiring than poetry? Is there a poetry piece as inspiring and motivating as “Don’t Quit Poem” by Edgar Albert Guest? There might be none.
Poet Edgar A. Guest composed the inspirational “Don’t Quit” in the 1920s.
It is a gentle reminder to us all that even the most trying of times will end, and there are sunnier skies ahead.
There is a “Friend” connection, too! When we were in our Archive, collating poems and stories for one of our fiction Specials, Edgar A. Guest was a name that appeared time and again throughout our 1950s and 1960s issues.
“The poetry in the ‘Friend’ in the 60s was dominated, as in the late 50s, by the poems of Edgar A Guest, a prolific writer of verse who was born in Birmingham in 1881 and later moved to Detroit in the US with his family.
“Guest is estimated to have written over 11,000 poems during his career. The majority offer a sentimental view of ordinary life.
“Appropriately known as ‘The People’s Poet’, he preferred to describe himself simply as ‘a newspaper man who wrote verses’.
“He fitted in well with the liking for traditional themes of friendship, devotion, home, and nature in the ‘Friend’.”
You can hear Idris reading the inspiring poem here.
Below is the poem. We hope you enjoy it!
Don’t Quit Poem
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
when the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
when the funds are low and the debts are high,
and you want to smile but you have to sigh,
when care is pressing you down a bit – rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a fellow turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow – you may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up when he might have captured the victor’s cup;
and he learned too late when the night came down,
how close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out – the silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
and when you never can tell how close you are,
it may be near when it seems afar;
so stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit – it’s when things seem worst, you must not quit.
Analysis of the Poem
This poem depicts the enduring theme of perseverance in times of adversity. It offers a straightforward and uplifting message of hope, encouraging individuals to persist despite setbacks. The poem is characterized by its simplicity, direct language, and use of rhyme.
Compared to the author’s other works, this poem is consistent with his overall style, which emphasizes motivational and uplifting themes.
During its period, the poem’s message of resilience and persistence resonated with readers who were facing social and economic challenges. Similar themes of perseverance were common in other prevalent works of the era.