It Couldn't Be Done

An Illustrated Poem from the Past

Following on with my trend of encouraging poems. We may think that the perils and pitfalls of modern life are different from those of the past, and yes, to some extent this is true. What is equally true now as it was then, is the way to get out of the traps, past the dangers, and into the real joys of life. Make much of the small things in life, find contentment in simple pleasures. Buckle down to work, and my child, you will find that you’ve gotten somewhere. Also! Spite gets things done. Tell me I can’t, and I’ll find a way that I can.

It Couldn’t Be Done

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, and 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 and he took off his hat,

And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and 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 and go to it;

Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing

That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

—Edgar A. Guest