FAILURE
I had a wise father who taught me very well,
Failure never does exist, he to me did often tell,
Until you stop trying, then that is when you fail,
This message I want to pass on, tell a happy tale.
I never was very clever rarely received an A,
But he’d put his arms around me and kindly say,
If you tried your best I’ll always be proud of you,
As long as you never give up you will win through.
One day at school a competition to write a story,
Something like an adventure and maybe gain glory,
I had a good imagination and things happened to me,
I just had to write it down well, sounds easy in theory.
I worked on the story for hours, had no help at all,
I know my spelling was bad, a scholar really appal,
But I handed it in, written all neat and tidy as could be,
And waited in anticipation, maybe I thought too eagerly.
Then the day came, names were called who were best,
Mary-Ann was third she was pleased she’d past the test,
Clever clogs Barbara came in at a good second place,
ANN INSKIP was first I went really pale in the face.
My friend clapped and cheered I did not know what to do
All my hard work at last had come and I’d won through,
A gift certificate for books, my story in the school news.
I have remembered never to give in, failure always refuse.
(Millicent) Ann Margetson 25 April 2005