Tag: Berton Braley

There should be no monotony In studying your botany; It helps to train And spur the brain– Unless you haven’t got any. It teaches you, does Botany, To know the plants and spot any, And learn just why They live or die– In case you plant or pot any. You learn, from reading Botany, Of…

The Joy of Life by Berton Braley: I’d rather risk gamely And lose for my trying Than grind around tamely –A cog in the mill. I’d rather fail greatly With courage undying Than plod on sedately With never a thrill! The game’s in the playing And, losing or winning, The fun’s in the essaying Your…

Weak and puny, small and frail, Helpless he with tooth or nail, In a world of fang and claw Where sheer power makes the law. Into battle he had gone With the shaggy mastodon, With the cruel beasts of prey Snarling in their lust to slay, Thirsting for the taste of blood; He has fought…

Why shouldn’t the soul of a mortal be proud? Life goes, it is true, like a swift-flying cloud But while it is going and ere he has died A man may do many things worthy of pride The high and the humble, the meek and the brave, Are all of them destined in time for…

We’ve loaded him with a lot of taxes And rules and codes but there’s something funny; In spite of the way his burden waxes The son-of-a-gun is making money! Whenever he’s given a boost to trade We’ve taken an extra tribute off it, But still the villain is undismayed, The son-of-a-gun has shown a Profit!…

Back of the beating hammer By which the steel is wrought, Back of the workshop’s clamor The seeker may find the Thought, The Thought that is ever master Of iron and steam and steel, That rises above disaster And tramples it under heel! The drudge may fret and tinker Or labor with lusty blows, But…