My Symphony
To live content with small means.
To seek elegance rather than luxury,
and refinement rather than fashion.
To be worthy not respectable,
and wealthy not rich.
To study hard, think quietly, talk gently,
act frankly, to listen to stars, birds, babes,
and sages with open heart, to bear all cheerfully,
do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.
In a word, to let the spiritual,
unbidden and unconscious,
grow up through the common.
This is to be my symphony.
About this poem
It's been reported that "My Symphony" may have been actually written by his cousin William Henry Channing, a minister, for a sermon. Their Uncle William Ellery Channing was one of the most influential ministers of his time. His sphere included the first several founding fathers and our first supreme court justice. His sermons and personal integrity inspired, the Transcendentalist movement.
Submitted by JokerGem on September 13, 2022
Modified on May 02, 2023
- 27 sec read
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Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABCDEBFBGDHCB |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 487 |
Words | 90 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 13 |
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"My Symphony" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 12 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/137614/my-symphony>.
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