simple home
Member
In addition to scripture memory, I'm looking for a great poem or passage for my son to memorize for Term 1. Or maybe I should stick with the bible and pick out a good long passage. Since we are doing Ancient Rome, maybe memorize part of Romans?
Thinking out loud, would love ideas!
How about the poem "Myself" by Edgar A. Guest. It isn't part of Romans though. lol I memorized it when I was 13 and it has been a good reminder when I needed one. ;)
Myself
I have to live with myself, and so,
I want to be fit for myself to know;
I want to be able as days go by,
Always to look myself straight in the eye;
I don't want to stand with the setting sun
And hate myself for the things I've done.
I don't want to keep on a closet shelf
A lot of secrets about myself,
And fool myself as I come and go
Into thinking that nobody else will know
The kind of man I really am;
I don't want to dress myself up in sham.
I want to go out with my head erect,
I want to deserve all men's respect;
But here in this struggle for fame and pelf,
I want to be able to like myself.
I don't want to think as I come and go
That I'm bluster and bluff and empty show.
I never can hide myself from me,
I see what others may never see,
I know what others may never know,
I never can fool myself- and so,
Whatever happens, I want to be
Self-respecting and conscience free.
Sorry about how long that ended up!
Janell
Member
"Myself" kind of reminded me of Rudyard Kipling's "If..."
IF.....
IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
Rudyard Kipling
I don't know if he has done much poetry memorization or not... One that can be good if you want an action-packed story type poem is "The Highwayman"
jawgee
Member
Will he be studying a specific poet in Term 1? I allowed both of my school-aged kids to pick their favorite poem from the poet they were studying and then they memorized the one they chose.
blue j
Member
The poem "If" was the one that I was going to suggest, as well.
simple home
Member
Thank you all for some great options. It's on my options list. Hard to choose!! So many good ones.
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