From the information you have given, I believe this is the poem your
friend remembers:
FROM FATHER TO SON
You got it from your father;
It was all he had to give.
So it's yours to use and cherish now
As long as you shall live.
If you lose the watch he gave you,
It can always be replaced,
But a black mark on your name, son,
Can never be erased.
It was clean the day you took it,
And a worthy name to bear;
When he got it from his father,
There was no dishonor there.
A name without a blemish
Is a treasure beyond worth;
As you grow to be a man,
It is a credit to your birth.
So make sure you guard it wisely,
And when all is said and done,
You'll be glad your name is spotless
When you give it to your son.
I have seen several variations of this on the Web. A similar poem was
written by Edgar Guest, but I have not found a version that is
credited to James Hough.
My source for the poem was a small wooden plaque that belonged to my
father-in-law. The plaque displays the family's coat of arms and
surname, with this poem under glass beside the coat of arms.
If this is not the poem that your friend remembers, please request a
clarification so that we may resume the search.
Best regards,
pinkfreud |
Request for Answer Clarification by
vh1-ga
on
18 Aug 2002 22:05 PDT
Re: 55767, perhaps there is a variation by Hough similar to that
Father to Son poem? Maybe this guy only wrote the one poem. Is it
possible to find him? I know it's not the Langston Hughes poem,
although I love it. Thanks!
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Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
19 Aug 2002 04:36 PDT
I haven't been able to find any version of the "Father to Son" poem
credited to James Hough. I could find no James Hough or James Hugh
mentioned as a poet. If he indeed wrote this poem, it seems to have
become "anonymized," as often happens to works that are widely
distributed.
From time to time, columnists such as Dear Abby and the late Ann
Landers have rediscovered the sources of well-loved poems. I've
emailed Dear Abby about this one, and will let you know if I learn any
more.
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Request for Answer Clarification by
vh1-ga
on
24 Aug 2002 19:08 PDT
"From father to son" is close to what I'm looking for. Could you keep
looking for variations of this poem? thanks,
vicki
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Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
24 Aug 2002 19:27 PDT
If I ever see the name "James Hough" in connection with anything
poetic, it will certainly get my attention! One advantage to being a
Web researcher is that often while seeking data on one subject, useful
information about other subjects is stumbled upon. Serendipity seems
to be a powerful force of nature!
If I see anything related to this poem that I think may be of interest
to you, I'll make a note of it here, and Google Answers will email a
notice that another "answer clarification" has been posted.
~pinkfreud
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Request for Answer Clarification by
vh1-ga
on
09 Oct 2002 18:22 PDT
Are you still looking by the poem "Son" by James Hough? My friend had
memorized it and wrote it down for me! I would like to find it in
print somewhere but have had no luck. Here are the words:
Son
You're here to play a part, my son,
upon this grim old earth,
and so where your lot is cast,
Do credit to your birth.
Put not your faith in friends nor luck,
but play your part alone.
Be not ashamed for God or man
to call your deeds your own.
Take pleasure in your duties
and make your work your play,
and touch not toys that gamble
your time and life away.
And in all things that you undertake,
do the best you can,
and the world will be the better
for you'll grow to be a man.
--That's it! I would think there would be some website where a person
could find any poem ever written. Is this possible?
Thanks! Vicki Hodges
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Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
09 Oct 2002 19:07 PDT
Vicki,
How I wish there were a Web source for every poem ever written!
Unfortunately, this is not the case. There are many poems, even some
by famous poets, that are absent from the Worldwide Web.
For many years, I looked in vain for a poem that Dorothy L. Sayers
wrote about wanting to take her pet cat to heaven "in a basket of
gratitude." I loved this poem, and I only remembered part of it.
Finally I found an old copy of a Dorothy L. Sayers book in a used book
store, and the poem was found. But I still have not seen it anywhere
on the Web. A pity. It's a beautiful poem for pet lovers, and it would
be perfect for one of the Web sites that helps people deal with the
death of a pet.
Those of us who use the Internet heavily tend to expect too much of it
sometimes. Although I dearly hope the day will come when every printed
word written in every language will be indexed on the 'Net, I do not
expect this to happen in my lifetime.
If I come across any more info on the "Son" poem, or any sites that
feature it, I will let you know. In the meantime, have you considered
starting a personal page of your own, and posting the poem there? That
way others could enjoy it, and the world of the Web would have one
more poem in its archives.
Best wishes,
pinkfreud
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