Life is a gift that the humblest may boast of And one that the humblest may well make the most of. Get out and live it each hour of the day, Wear it … - Edgar Guest

I envy men whose yards are gay,
But never work as hard as they;
I also envy men who own
More wealth than I have ever known.
I'm like a lot of men who yearn
For joys that they refuse to earn.<p>You cannot have the joys of work
And take the comfort of a shirk.
I find the man I envy most
Is he who's longest at his post.
I could have gold and roses, too,
If I would work like those who do.

I hold no dream of fortune vast,
Nor seek undying fame.
I do not ask when life is past
That many know my name.<p>I may not own the skill to rise
To glory's topmost height,
Nor win a place among the wise,
But I can keep the right.<p>And I can live my life on earth
Contented to the end,
If but a few shall know my worth
And proudly call me friend.

I'm not the man to say that failure's sweet,
Nor tell a chap to laugh when things go wrong;
I know it hurts to have to take defeat
An' no one likes to lose before a throng;
It isn't very pleasant not to win
When you have done the very best you could;
But if you're down, get up an' buckle in—
A lickin' often does a fellow good.