EDGAR A. GUEST 1881-1959

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IT COULDN'T BE DONE

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 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.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that -

At least no one ever has done it."

But he took off his coat and took off his hat

And the first thing he knew he'd begun it.

With the 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 right in with a bit of a grin,

Then 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.

Edgar Albert Guest was an English-born American poet whose works were very popular in the first half of the 20th century. For many years he hosted a Detroit radio show and later had an NBC television series. He became known as The People's Poet.

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