The Way

However certain of the way thou art,
Take not the self-appointed leader's part.
Follow no man, and by no man be led,
And no man lead.    AWAKE, and go ahead.
Thy path, though leading straight unto the goal
Might prove confusing to another soul.
The goal is central; but from east, and west,
And north, and south, we set out on the quest;
From lofty mountains, and from valleys low:-
How could all find one common way to go?

Lord Buddha to the wilderness was brought.
Lord Jesus to the Cross.    And yet, think not
By solitude, or cross, thou canst achieve,
Lest in thine own true Self thou dost believe.
Know thou art One, with life's Almighty Source,
Then are thy feet set on the certain Course.

Nor does it matter if thou feast, or fast,
Or what thy creed - or where thy lot is cast;
In halls of pleasure or in crowded mart,
In city streets, or from all men apart -
Thy path leads to the Light; and peace and power
Shall be thy portion, growing hour by hour.
Follow no man, and by no man be led.
And no man lead.    But KNOW and go ahead.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Ella Wheeler Wilcox was an American author and poet, born on November 5, 1850, and died on October 30, 1919. She was known for her works expressing optimistic views and moral lessons. Her most famous book was 'Poems of Passion'. Her poem 'Solitude' contains the famous lines, 'Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone'. Over her career, Wilcox became popularly known as a 'people's poet'.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

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English

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The Goal

All roads that lead to God are good;
    What matters it, your faith, or mine;
    Both centre at the goal divine
Of love's eternal Brotherhood.

The kindly life in house or street;
    The life of prayer, and mystic rite;
    The student's search for truth and light;
These paths at one great junction meet.

Before the oldest book was writ,
    Full many a prehistoric soul
    Arrived at this unchanging goal,
Through changeless love, that led to it.

What matters that one found his Christ
    In rising sun, or burning fire;
    If faith within him did not tire,
His longing for the truth sufficed.

Before our 'Christian' hell was brought
    To edify a modern world,
    Full many a hate-filled soul was hurled
In lakes of fire ...

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

All Roads That Lead To God Are Good

All roads that lead to God are good.
    What matters it, your faith, or mine?
    Both centre at the goal divine
Of love's eternal Brotherhood.

The kindly life in house or street -
    The life of prayer and mystic rite -
    The student's search for truth and light -
These paths at one great Junction meet.

Before the oldest book was writ,
    Full many a prehistoric soul
    Arrived at this unchanging goal,
Through changeless Love, that leads to it.

What matters that one found his Christ
    In rising sun, or burning fire?
    If faith within him did not tire,
His longing for the Truth sufficed.

Before our modern hell was brought
    To edify the modern world,
    Full many a hate-filled soul was hurled
In lakes of fire...

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Advice.

I must do as you do? Your way I own
    Is a very good way. And still,
There are sometimes two straight roads to a town,
    One over, one under the hill.

You are treading the safe and the well-worn way,
    That the prudent choose each time;
And you think me reckless and rash to-day,
    Because I prefer to climb.

Your path is the right one, and so is mine.
    We are not like peas in a pod,
Compelled to lie in a certain line,
    Or else be scattered abroad.

'Twere a dull old world, methinks, my friend,
    If we all went just one way;
Yet our paths will meet no doubt at the end,
    Though they lead apart to-day.

You like the shade, and I like the sun;
    You like an even pace,
I like to mix with the crowd and run,
  ...

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Show Me The Way.

        Show me the way that leads to the true life.
    I do not care what tempests may assail me,
        I shall be given courage for the strife;
    I know my strength will not desert or fail me;
        I know that I shall conquer in the fray:
    Show me the way.

        Show me the way up to a higher plane,
    Where body shall be servant to the soul.
        I do not care what tides of woe or pain
    Across my life their angry waves may roll,
        If I but reach the end I seek, some day:
    Show me the way.

        Show me the way, and let me bravely climb
    Above vain grievings for unworthy treasures;
        Above all sorrow that finds balm in time;
    Above small triumphs or belittling pleasures;
        Up to those heights where...

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Life

All in the dark we grope along,
    And if we go amiss
We learn at least which path is wrong,
    And there is gain in this.

We do not always win the race
    By only running right;
We have to tread the mountain's base
    Before we reach its height.

The Christs alone no errors made;
    So often had they trod
The paths that lead through light and shade,
    They had become as God.

As Krishna, Buddha, Christ again,
    They passed along the way,
And left those mighty truths which men
    But dimly grasp to-day.

But he who loves himself the last
    And knows the use of pain,
Though strewn with errors all his past,
    He surely shall attain.

Some souls there are that needs must taste
    Of wrong, ere choo...

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Life

All in the dark we grope along,
    And if we go amiss
We learn at least which path is wrong,
    And there is gain in this.

We do not always win the race,
    By only running right,
We have to tread the mountain's base
    Before we reach its height.

The Christs alone no errors made;
    So often had they trod
The paths that lead through light and shade,
    They had become as God.

As Krishna, Buddha, Christ again,
    They passed along the way,
And left those mighty truths which men
    But dimly grasp to-day.

But he who loves himself the last
    And knows the use of pain,
Though strewn with errors all his past,
    He surely shall attain.

Some souls there are that needs must taste
    Of wrong, ere cho...

Ella Wheeler Wilcox