Don’t Quit: An Inspirational Poem 

By Adam Balinski
Updated: September 27, 2021

Growing up I had a favorite poem which recently entered the public domain. It’s called, “Don’t Quit.” Some say it’s written by John Greenleaf Whittier. Others say Edgar Guest. Others say we just don’t know. Regardless, I hope this poem is inspiring in the midst of whatever challenges you may be facing right now. You’ve got this!

Don’t Quit

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is strange with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When we might have won had we stuck it out;
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow–
You may succeed with another blow,

Success is failure turned inside out–
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit–
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.