Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone;
For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
But has trouble enough of its own.
Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air;
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.
Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go;
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all;
There are none to decline your nectar’d wine,
But alone you must drink life’s gall.
Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.
There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a large and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.
by ELLA WHEELER WILCOX (1855-1919)
Public Domain Poetry
A sad truth elegantly penned.
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We’re so glad this resonated with you, Jade. Thanks so much for dropping by!
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Sad truth, but a great poem.
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It encapsulates it so beautifully, I think. 😊
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Agree.
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I love this poem. I shared this in my blog some years ago too.
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Ah, so you have excellent taste too! Somehow, I’m not surprised. 😄
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So true
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We quite agree, Mariya. Thank you so much for reading!
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Powerful poem, you have many friends when you are partying, when your grieving you see no one.
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Sad but often very true.
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Or, said with much less class, ‘no-one likes a sad-ass.’
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Still no less true though! 😋
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Sing and your emotional heart will soar.
And everyone will smile along with you
Just remember to close the bathroom door.
So no-one sees you in the shower or on the loo.
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🤣🤣🤣
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