Monday, August 22, 2005

Monday Poetry Blogging | For Those Who Fail

Today's poem comes from the Summer 2005 edition of NIPPIES.com.*

For Those Who Fail by Joaquin Miller

"All honor to him who shall win the prize," 
The world has cried for a thousand years; 
But to him who tries and who fails and dies, 
I give great honor and glory and tears.
O great is the hero who wins a name, 
But greater many and many a time, 
Some pale-faced fellow who dies in shame, 
And lets God finish the thought sublime.
And great is the man with a sword undrawn,
And good is the man who refrains from wine; 
But the man who fails and yet fights on, 
Lo! he is the twin-born brother of mine!

photo of Joaquin Miller from joaquinmiller.com.
Photo: www.joaquinmiller.com

Joaquin Miller (1841-1912) was known as The Poet of the Sierras among other things. In his very colorful life, he had several careers -- miner, lawyer, prospector, newspaper editor/publisher, judge -- before settling on that of a poet. Born Cincinnatus Hiner Miller (after the city of Cincinnati), he changed his name to Joaquin in 1870 after a poetess "convinced him he would never succeed as a poet with a name like Cincinnatus." Interesting that he chose to name himself after an infamous Mexican Bandit. Further Reading:
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* (Hey, I'm not kidding ... that's the name of their magazine, and they've been publishing under that name since 1999).

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