It Couldn't Be Done
Edgar Albert Guest
About The Author
After he began at the Detroit Free Press as a copy boy and then a reporter, his first poem appeared 11 December 1898. He became a naturalized citizen in 1902.
For 40 years, Guest was widely read throughout North America, and his sentimental, optimistic poems were in the same vein as the light verse of Nick Kenny, who wrote syndicated columns during the same decades.
From his first published work in the Detroit Free Press until his death in 1959, Guest penned some 11,000 poems which were syndicated in some 300 newspapers and collected in more than 20 books, including A Heap o' Livin' (1916) and Just Folks (1923–1957). Guest was made Poet Laureate of Michigan, the only poet to have been awarded the title.
About The Poem
‘It Couldn’t Be Done‘ is a motivational poem that encourages the reader not to give up easily. The poem is a warning that throughout the life, people will tell you that certain things are impossible to achieve and that you should quit. But one should not give an ear to this type of suggestions which immensely negative and must move on.
It Couldn't Be Done
by: Edgar Albert Guest
Somebody said that it couldn’t be done
But he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn't," but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
(He wouldn’t say so till he’d tried)
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it!
(ha)
Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it;"
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure,
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing
That "cannot be done," and you'll do it.
हो नहीं पाएगा
Transcreated by
'Ambar' Kharbanda
किसी ने ऐसा कहा कि उससे ये तो हो ही नहीं पाएगा
लेकिन उसने कहा कि ठहरो, देखो मैं कोशिश करता हूँ
थोड़ी चिंता भी थी लेकिन, चिंता को कुछ दूर हटा कर
कहा कि मैं कर लूँगा इसको, देखो मैं कोशिश करता हूँ
हँसी-हँसी और ख़ुशी से उसने जैसे अपना हाथ बढाया
बातों ही बातों में उसने, नामुमकिन को कर दिखलाया
(हूँ?)
कोई बोला पहले भी तो कितने लोगों ने कोशिश की
तुम भी कैसे कर पाओगे, कोई सफल नहीं हो पाया
लेकिन उसने हिम्मत करके, ख़ुद पर बड़ा भरोसा करके
शुरू कर दिया काम को उसने, हर संशय को दूर भगाया
(और क्या कहते थे लोग...के तुम ये कैसे कर पाओगे, कोई सफल नहीं हो पाया)
हँसते-हँसते, गाते-गाते उसने अपना हाथ बढा कर
बातों ही बातों में उसने, नामुमकिन को कर दिखलाया
कई मिलेंगे तुमको अपनी बातों से बहकाने वाले
कई मिलेंगे तुमको अपनी राहों से भटकाने वाले
कुछ तो ऐसे होंगे जो बस ख़तरों ही की बात करेंगे
कई मिलेंगे उन ख़तरों को गिन-गिन कर बतलाने वाले
लेकिन तुम उनकी बातों का थोडा-सा भी असर न लेना
उनकी सब बातें ठुकरा कर तुमने आगे बढ़ जाना है
ये मैं कर सकता हूँ देखो, ये मैं कर के दिखलाऊँगा
लब पर इक मुस्कान सजा कर ये सब उनको बतलाना है
( के )
हँसी-हँसी और ख़ुशी से हरदम अपना हाथ बढ़ाना है
बातों ही बातों में देखो, नामुमकिन को कर जाना है