It must have been in 9th grade or so when I first read the poem in my high school English class. The imagery of the poem entranced me ! It became one of my favorite poems. Like a piece of clothing washed too many times , life and time washed away the vibrant memory of the poem and replaced it with something faded and fragmentary. College came and I fell in love with other poets such as Boudelaire and somewhere along the way I discovered one of my life long favorite poems “The Hound of Heaven” penned by Francis Thompson . Long after high school and long after college shards of that poem would often manifest themselves into my consciousness. It was a poem that would be classified as being a poem of inspiration and defiance – a type of poem that suited me perfectly.
For some reason the phrase “Find a way or make it” became a powerful mantra for me – even though I lost full memory and couldn’t find the poem associated with that line. I searched for it in libraries and in books of poetry , but for years I was unable to find the poem associated with the above line. Along came the internet and the world wide web and I continued my search for the poem there. I wasn’t obsessed with the poem or the phrase , I simply wanted to read the poem again and enjoy it like I had enjoyed it when I was in high school. I was profoundly disappointed in my search to find this poem. I would often find the phrase , but never found the poem from which the phrase had been extracted nor the writer who penned the poem. I mostly gave up trying to find the poem , then one day I decided to search again on the web for the poem and I found it ! I was ecstatic ! The poem is one that was taught to most school children of my age – I can only hope that it is still taught –
Here it is –
I’ll find a way or Make it
It was a noble Roman
in Rome’s imperial day
Who heard a coward croaker
Before a castle say
“They’re safe in such a fortress;
There is no way to shake it !”
“On ! On ! ” exclaimed the hero :
“I’ll find a way , or make it!”
Is fame your aspiration ?
Her path is steep and high ;
In vain he seeks her temple ,
Content to gaze and sigh.
The shining throne is waiting
But he alone can take it
Who says with Roman firmness
I’ll find a way , or make it!”
Is learning your ambition ?
There is no royal road ‘
Alike the peer and peasant
Must climb to her abode ‘
Who feels the thirst for knowledge,
In Helicon must slake it,
If he has still the Roman will
“To find a way , or make it ”
Are riches worth the getting ?
They must be bravely sought ;
With wishing and with fretting
The book can not be bought ;
To all the prize is open ,
But only he can take it ,
Who says , with Roman courage
“I’ll , find a way , or make it”
John Godfrey Saxe
The poem inspired me when I first heard it and I have continued to be inspired by the poem till this very day. Whenever I find myself in a situation where I might easily give up , I think “I will find a way or make it!”
It has been a while since any of my children went to high school. I don’t know if this poem is still read – I don’t know if poetry is still an important part of the high school curriculum. I hope that it is.
I have hundreds of poetry books in my book store. Once in a while someone stops and buys a book on poetry. I hope they become inspired by something that they read in one of those books. I have many poems and pithy sayings hanging up around my store – I hope someone takes the time to read them. I also hope someone takes the time and at least finds some modest enjoyment from one of my own poems –
I wrote this poem a few years ago – deep inside the despair that often comes upon me when the days grow shorter –
November
November stalks me
as surely as spring fell upon me months ago
Grey skies
The sun sulks
Stealing minutes after minutes of daylight
as he goes to bed earlier and earlier each day
Cold rain falls like a dagger
chilling me to my bones
Winters wind follows as cold December
hides in the shadows placing himself
innocently in the glow of Thanksgiving’s delights
covering himself with promises of candy canes
and Christmas gifts
I know December for what he is
The harbinger of white January’s ice and snow
Somewhere far off February’s reflection
of two faced Janus almost hides his promise of
an introduction to longer days
And March in his fickleness
Who can’t seem to make up his mind
November stares at me with no pretense
Behind cold grey skies
Winter’s icy chill will soon
bear upon my breast
digging it’s way into my sinews
filling me with the dread of chills and colds
At least November makes no pretense
Announcing himself with bluster and fanfare
I know him for who he is
He’s been keeping the promises of October
laying the trees bare
and shortening my afternoons
He holds the seeds of deep Decembers solitary gloom
No bright blue skies are his
No fragrant day or wistful night
He put an end to my bike rides
made me close my windows
and spend more money to turn up the heat
he’s a thief and an assassin
stealing away sunny skies
and removing the life from the few plants that survived Octobers warmer days and less frigid nights
I put out no welcome mat for him !
But he didn’t come unannounced ,
each spring day with its warmth and mirth
carried him as a promise
each summer day with long lasting evenings
and the intoxication of jasmine
hid him in their pocket
and now his mocking face
has come as I knew it would
but unbeknownst to even him
hid within his very essence
is the inevitable
and longed
for return of spring
when April will blare like a loud trumpet
and November’s grey skies
will be a minor chord hidden within the joyful song of warmer days
CJohn Pollard 2008
Yes – I do prefer the English grey to the dull and drab American gray. I hope someone likes my poem. I am apparently full of them and sometimes they just pop out.
I am –
John Pollard
JPollardbookseller@gmail.com
Brick and Mortar and on the net
Hopeless Romantic , Lover of Poetry and likely related to Don Quixote as I am constantly tilting at windmills
I like it, John. You captured the essence of each season perfectly.