Avid readers of the Freedom Focused blog know how much I love poetry.
It is also no secret that my favorite poems were typically published one hundred (100) years or more in the past. One reason for this predilection for aged verse is that poems published over 100 years ago are usually in the public domain, allowing me to republish them in their entirety here on the Freedom Focused blog—something I could not legally do (without permission) with more modern works.
Another reason I love old fashioned poems is because they are often the best ones available when it comes to teaching Self-Action Leadership (SAL) principles and practices.
Plenty of poetry has been published in the past hundred years. This is especially true if you count musical lyrics from popular songs, raps, etc. This more modern verse, however, is less likely to address issues involving SAL, which is why we reflexively turn to the masters of yore when searching for SAL-based poetry. Perhaps our efforts will, in time, inspire a renaissance of original modern poetry focused on character and virtue that will yet be published in the twenty-first century—works like Dr. JJ's Psalms of Life: A Poetry Collection. In the meantime, we are thrilled to resurrect the masters of ages past whose wisdom continues to resonate down through the corridors of time to positively and productively inform our present day.
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Edwin Arlington Robinson
British Poet
1869-1935 |
Two of the more poignant, piercing, and penetrating works of poetry from the early twentieth century were written by the American poet, Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869-1935), and are entitled:
"Richard Cory" and
"Miniver Cheevy.
" The first poem (Richard Cory) tells the story of a rich, handsome, and much admired man who appears to have it all, only to inexplicably commit suicide during the seeming pinnacle of his own popularity, prestige, and prosperity.
The second poem (Miniver Cheevy) recounts the tale of a seemingly ambitious man who harbored big dreams for his future—but sadly, failed to ever take any committed or concrete action toward realizing his hopes and goals in the PRESENT.
The climaxing events in both poems are profoundly sad—even tragic. Indeed, readers of either or both poems cannot help but find themselves deeply drawn into the stories that unfold, only to end up shaking their heads in surprise, dismay, and disappointment at the choices made by the two poems' respective protagonists. Readers can thank Robinson's gifted pen for producing such vivid and chilling storytelling through verse.
The power in these two poems comes in the cautionary tales they provide to us as readers. If we are honest with ourselves, we can probably identify vestiges of both Richard and Miniver in our own life's attitudes and experiences. Wise self-action leaders will acknowledge this reality and proactively take whatever actions are needed to circumvent the awful fate that befell both Cory and Cheevy.
With that introduction, let's turn now to the POEMS themselves...
Richard CoryWhenever Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favoured, and imperially slim.
And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
"Good morning," and he glittered when he walked.
And he was rich—yes, richer than a king—
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.
So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.
...............
As I shake my own head in dismay at this extraordinarily jarring and sudden turn of events, which is such a dramatic 180 from the first 15 lines of a 16-line poem, I am reminded of the words of a famous hymn...
"Who am I to judge another
When I walk imperfectly?
In the quiet heart is hidden
Sorrow that the eye can’t see."
—From the HYMN: Lord I Would Follow Thee
Miniver CheevyMiniver Cheevy, child of scorn,
Grew lean while he assailed the seasons;
He wept that he was ever born,
And he had reasons.
Miniver loved the days of old
When swords were bright and steeds were prancing;
The vision of a warrior bold
Would set him dancing.
Miniver sighed for what was not,
And dreamed, and rested from his labors;
He dreamed of Thebes and Camelot,
And Priam's neighbors.
Miniver mourned the ripe renown
That made so many a name so fragrant;
He mourned Romance now on the town,
And Art, a vagrant.
Miniver loved the Medici,
Albeit he had never seen one;
He would have sinned incessantly
Could he have been one.
Miniver cursed the commonplace
And eyed a khaki suit with loathing;
He missed the mediæval grace
Of iron clothing.
Miniver scorned the gold he sought
But sore annoyed was he without it;
Miniver thought, and thought, and thought,
And thought about it.
Miniver Cheevy, born too late,
Scratched his head and kept on thinking;
Miniver coughed, and called it fate,
And kept on drinking.
...............
In what ways might you presently—no matter how minimally—be falling prey to those thoughts, speech, and actions that led to the doom of Richard Cory and/or the underachievement of Miniver Cheevy?
For example, are you, like Richard, struggling with depression or other mental, emotional, or social malaise that could, if left unaddressed, lead you down a dark pathway you would rather avoid? If so, what are you doing to help yourself and, if necessary, seek out the assistance of others to aid in your plight?
In the end, there is very little use in blaming anyone else for how your life turns out. Excuses are like armpits; everyone has them and they all tend to stink! Self-action leaders are big believers in regularly applying liberal quantities of existential deodorant in the form of personal responsibility for their lives and careers—even, and perhaps especially, in the face of difficulties and unfairness. Even if a given misfortune truly is
somebody else's fault, blaming your problems on other people or circumstances rarely helps lift you out of those circumstances; it takes creativity and proactivity to accomplish
that.
On the other hand, do you, like Miniver Cheevy, ever over-romanticize the past, harbour grandiose dreams that are unrealistic, or get your hopes up for things you are unwilling to tangibly work towards? If so, how might you begin to alter your thoughts, speech, and actions TODAY in ways that will bring you down from the clouds of dreamland and set you on the pathway toward real achievements within your present reach?
I firmly believe that no one who has ever lived set out to purposely fail in their lives, careers, or relationships. But let's face it: LIFE is HARD. And it doesn't really matter who you are or where you were born; everyone faces their own, unique demons and difficulties in their lives. Such challenges have ultimately overtaken and consumed countless individuals throughout the ages—and every lost soul is a tragedy.
That is the bad news.
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Be the Captain of Your own Ship
Take Responsibility for your Life |
The GOOD NEWS is that YOU and I do not have to end up like Richard Cory or Miniver Cheevy. We have the ability and power to chart a different course—no matter what trials we may have faced, currently face, or will yet face in the future. If we are willing to look at ourselves in the mirror and honestly assess our own present reality, we can begin the process of effectively confronting whatever adversity we may face so that we might ultimately turn things around to live a meaningful and satisfying life—however challenge-laden or imperfect it may be along the way.
What are you choosing to do with your life?
Are you headed down a dangerous road like Richard Cory or Miniver Cheevy? Or are you claiming the Captaincy of your own ship and taking charge of your future?
In the end, the CHOICE is YOURS.
What will you choose?
—Dr. JJ
March 8, 2023
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA
Author's Note: This is the 311th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 137th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.
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Excellent post for all of us, particularly when so many lives are ruined by unwise decisions and actions. Thanks.
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