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Make me too brave to lie or be unkind.
Make me too understanding, too, to mind
The little hurts companions give, and friends,
The careless hurts that no one quite intends.
Make me too thoughtful to hurt others so.
Help me to know
The inmost hearts of those for whom I care,
Their secret wishes, all the loads they bear,
That I may add my courage to their own.
May I make lonely folks feel less alone,
And happy ones a little happier yet.
May I forget
What ought to be forgotten; and recall
Unfailing, all
That ought to be recalled, each kindly thing,
Forgetting what might sting.
To all upon my way,
Day after day,
Let me be joy, be hope! Let my life sing!
This poem is in the public domain.
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Mary Carolyn Davies (1888 - 1974) was an American author, playwright, and poet. Born in Washington, she moved to Oregon at age 12, lived briefly in California and Greenwich Village as a young adult, then returned to Oregon, where she served as president of the Women's Press Club and president of the Northwest Poetry Society. Mary wrote poetry for children as well as for adults, was the author of several books, and her work appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies. Her poetry was often compared to that of Edna St. Vincent Millay. Mary moved back to New York sometime in the 1930s, where one critic bluntly wrote, "her work divides itself into "two distinct classes: the hackwork which she does for a living and the genuine poetry which she creates for its own sake." For some mysterious reason, Mary's career faltered in the 1940s and she suffered illness and poverty for several years. Help from friends and other sources restored her health and circumstances and she spent her final years in a nursing home.
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