The Dream Page


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This poem was included in book two of the messages sent to Leonardo from his fans by the Thai students. I found this one particularly powerful, since it is describes what this young man has to deal with every day.



Innocence Lost: The Beach


If....by Rudyard Kipling...

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs
and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
but make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, or being lied about,
If you can deal with lies, or hate,
without giving way to hating.

If you can dream and not make dreams your master;
If you can think and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
or watch thethings you gave your life to broken,
and stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
and risk it on one turn of pitch and toss, and lose,
and startagain at your beginnings,
never breathing a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
to serve your turn long after they are gone,
and so holdon when there is nothing in you
except the will which says to them 'HOLD ON!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue
or walk with kings not losing the commom touch,
Neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you.

If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
with sixty seconds worth of distance run,
Then yours is the earth andeverything thats in it
And, which is more,

YOU'LL BE A MAN MY SON

Thanks to the wonderful PinkLady!



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