Hard by Edgar Guest

Hard by Edgar Guest

One day, in ages dark and dim,

A toiler, weary, worn and faint,

Who found his task too much for him,

Gave voice unto a sad complain.

And seeking emphasis to give

Upon his trials (day ill-starred!)

Coupled to “work” this adjective,

This little word of terror: Hard.

And from that day to this has work

Its frightening description worn;

'Tis spoken daily by the shirk,

The first cloud on the sky at morn.

Today when there are tasks to do,

Save that we keep ourselves on guard

With fearful doubtings them we view,

And think and speak of them as hard.

That little but ill-chosen word

Has wrought great havoc with men's souls,

Has chilled the hearts ambition stirred

And held the pass to splendid goals.

Great dreams have faded and been lost,

Fine youth by it been sadly marred

As plants beneath a withering frost,

Because men thought and whispered: Hard.

Let's think of work in terms of hope

And speak of it with words of praise,

And tell the joy it is to grope

Along the new, untrodden ways!

Let's break this habit of despair

And cheerfully our task regard;

The road to happiness lies there;

Why think or speak of it as hard?