Paddle Your Own Canoe
Voyager upon life’s sea,
To yourself be true,
And whatever your lot may be,
Paddle your own canoe.
Never, though the winds may rave,
Falter or look back;
But upon the darkest wave
Leave a shining track.
Paddle your own canoe.
Nobly dare the wildest storm,
Stem the hardest gale,
Brave of heart and strong of arm
You will never fail.
When the world is cold and dark,
Keep your aim in view;
And toward the beacon work,
Paddle your own canoe.
Would you crush the giant wrong,
In the world’s free fight?
With a spirit brave and strong,
Battle for the right.
And to break the chains that bind
The many to the few
To enfranchise slavish mind, -
Paddle your own canoe.
Nothing great is lightly won,
Nothing won is lost,
Every good deed, nobly done,
Will repay the cost.
Leave to Heaven, in humble trust,
All you will to do:
But if succeed, you must
Paddle your own canoe.
By Sarah T. Bolton: as published in “Harper’s New Monthly Magazine” (May 1854)
Sarah Tittle Bolton was born as Sarah Tittle Barrett on 18 December 1814 in Newport, Kentucky, United States of America. She became a poet and a singer. She was married to Nathaniel Bolton, an editor of the newspaper in which her early poems appeared. Her published works include, “The Life and Poems of Sarah T. Bolton” (1880). Sarah Tittle Bolton passed on at 78 years of age on 5 August 1893 in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.
Voyager upon life’s sea,
To yourself be true,
And whatever your lot may be,
Paddle your own canoe.
Never, though the winds may rave,
Falter or look back;
But upon the darkest wave
Leave a shining track.
Paddle your own canoe.
Nobly dare the wildest storm,
Stem the hardest gale,
Brave of heart and strong of arm
You will never fail.
When the world is cold and dark,
Keep your aim in view;
And toward the beacon work,
Paddle your own canoe.
Would you crush the giant wrong,
In the world’s free fight?
With a spirit brave and strong,
Battle for the right.
And to break the chains that bind
The many to the few
To enfranchise slavish mind, -
Paddle your own canoe.
Nothing great is lightly won,
Nothing won is lost,
Every good deed, nobly done,
Will repay the cost.
Leave to Heaven, in humble trust,
All you will to do:
But if succeed, you must
Paddle your own canoe.
By Sarah T. Bolton: as published in “Harper’s New Monthly Magazine” (May 1854)
Sarah Tittle Bolton was born as Sarah Tittle Barrett on 18 December 1814 in Newport, Kentucky, United States of America. She became a poet and a singer. She was married to Nathaniel Bolton, an editor of the newspaper in which her early poems appeared. Her published works include, “The Life and Poems of Sarah T. Bolton” (1880). Sarah Tittle Bolton passed on at 78 years of age on 5 August 1893 in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.
