Edgar A Guest

A few years ago, my grandparents gave me a little book of poetry by Edgar A Guest. The book was published in 1916. It is small and blue and fits in the palm of my hand. I have its original box. The edges are frayed and torn by time and use. Flipping through it this morning, I found the following poem. I hope it encourages you like it encouraged me.

Failures
Edgar A Guest

'Tis better to have tried in vain,
Sincerely striving for a goal,
Than to have lived upon the plain
An idle and a timid soul.

'Tis better to have fought and spent
Your courage, missing all applause,
Than to have lived in smug content
And never ventured for a cause.

For he who tries and fails may be
The founder of a better day;
Though never his the victory,
From him shall others learn the way.