Higher, higher, ever higher,–
Let thy watchword be “Aspire!”
Noble Christian youth;
Whatsoe’er be God’s behest,
Try to do that duty best
In strength of Truth.
Let a just ambition fire
Every motive and desire
God and man to serve:
Man, with zeal and honour due,
God, with gratitude most true,
And all the spirit’s nerve!
Let not Doubt thine efforts tire,
God will give what all require,–
Raiment, home, and food!
And with these contented well,
Bid thine aspirations swell
To the Highest Good!
From the perils deep and dire
Of Temptation’s sensual mire
Keep thy chasten’d feet;
Dread, and hate, and turn away
From the lure that leads astray,
Satan’s pleasure-cheat!
And, while thus a self-denier,
Stand the stalwart self-relier,–
Bravely battling on,
Though alone,– no soul alive
Ever stoutly dared to strive
But saw the battle won!
Though thy path be thorn and brier,
Every step shall bring thee nigher
To Creation’s prize;
With “Excelsior” on thy flag,
Thou shalt tread the topmost crag,
Climbing to the skies.
Higher, then, and always higher,–
Let thy motto be “Aspire!”
Whosoe’er thou be;
Holy liver! happy dier!
Earth’s poor best and Heaven’s quire
Are reserved for thee!
(Martin Farquhar Tupper)
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Based on Topics: Man Poems, God Poems, War & Peace Poems, Youth Poems, Home Poems, Happiness Poems, Truth Poems, Hatred Poems, Food Poems, Temptation PoemsBased on Keywords: whosoe, excelsior, dier