my old art

"Just Do It"

Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That "Maybe it couldn't," but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing, as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, & he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it";
But he took off his coat & he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a lift of his chin & a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, & he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done.
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat & go to it;
Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing
That "cannot be done," & you'll do it.
--Edgar Guest.