Drive the nail aright, boys ;
Hit it on the heads ;
Strike with all your might, boys,
While the iron's red.
When you've work to do, boys,
Do it with a will ;
They who reach the top, boys,
First must climb the hill.
Standing at the foot, boys,
Looking at the sky,
How can you get up, boys,
If you never try ?
Though you stumble oft, boys,
Never be downcast ;
Try and try again, boys --
You will win at last.
Drive the nail aright, boys ;
Hit it on the head ;
Strike with all your might, boys,
While the iron's red.
Hi... my Grandfather sang this to me sixty years ago. I've often sung it to myself when faced with a hard task. Thank you for posting it.
ReplyDeleteEleanor, my grandfather recited the same about 60 years ago, perhaps a few years more, for I was a young child when he first spoke these words, although they are modified. He was a carpenter, and when he taught it to me, it went like this: Standing on the floorboards, gazing to the sky, you'll never reach the top, son, if you never try. So when you hit that nail, boy, hit it with all your might, for things done in halves are never done right." I think he told me this just twice, but that is how I remember it. It was easier to do so, that's for sure, and I still think it makes the point.
DeleteAnyway, it was wonderful finding this here, and I learned something, which my grandpa had not shared: it was a song.
In north east India Darjeeling due to an illness my first ever scool class was grade 4...after that again three higher classes to complete school...the first four lines of this poem stayed with me. Today in my early 70s now this morning it came backand i searched online..and found it here...thank you !
DeleteHi... my Grandfather sang this to me sixty years ago. I've often sung it to myself when faced with a hard task. Thank you for posting it.
ReplyDeletePlease anybody explain the summary
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this, I have been looking for this poem for a while. My father learnt it when he was learning English aged 10 years old in India and has remembered it since. I have been searching the internet for it and finally found it! Could you please tell me who wrote this poem? Many thanks
ReplyDeleteplease give me full meaning of this poem ,I can not fully understand ........ so please help me .
ReplyDeleteAs a student of 10 years I learnt this poem and liked it very much. Now after 55 years I read this to my pupils of 9 to 10 years who appreciated this and often quote lines when required very appropriately.
ReplyDeleteAs a student of 10 years I learnt this poem and liked it very much. Now after 55 years I read this to my pupils of 9 to 10 years who appreciated this and often quote lines when required very appropriately.
ReplyDeletetook me 30-35 year back when we were in 9th standard.and this poem was one of my all time inspirational and motivational tool. our teacher taught us to see life's everything in the same context and try to call the best shots and never lose hope.
ReplyDeleteThis is what I have been searching for.My daughter who was a child then used to sing this poem.Thank you so much.
ReplyDeletewhat is the writer name
ReplyDeleteNorman Macleod
DeleteAnother Scots Highlander Norman MacLEOD
DeleteI was in the 5th Grade at my secondary school back in 1958 in the Highlands of Scotland; when this poem and others (The Burial of Sir John Moore - That fine Scottish General and Rudyard Kipling's Poem IF was taught to our class. I found these three poems inspirational. I never forgot the words, in later years during a fire fight in Vietnam where I served with the Royal Australian Infantry Regiment, these poems were going through my head constantly and the words inspired me to stay alive.
ReplyDeleteI came across an another version of this poem where the last stanza has been substituted by as follows:
ReplyDelete'Though you stumble off, boys,
Never be downcast;
Try,try again, boys,
You'll succeed at last.'
The name of the author of this poem has been cited as James H. Cassette. in the blog post. I am confused.
The name of the author will be James H. Hassett. Not Cassette.
ReplyDeleteActually, the person you are referring to is likely James H Fassett who included it in his third reader, 1911ish, without an author cited. Google books has it appearing in an 1877 reader published in Scotland but without an author cited. So the Scottish author "Macleod" cited previously may be correct.
ReplyDeleteA calypso singer in the Bahamas made this the chorus for an inspirational song he wrote called 'Persevere'
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/yuX9iBNLLsA?t=28
I came across it in a library back in the 90s during my school days, and ever since then, it has remained firmly etched in my memory.
ReplyDeleteThe poem is titled 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙚 and was originally written by a Scottish poet named Matthias Barr in his book 'Hours of Sunshine'.
Here is the evidence:
1. https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/UF/00/02/60/57/00001/00001.pdf
2. https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/UF/00/02/60/57/00001/00005.pdf
3. https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/UF/00/02/60/57/00001/00080.pdf