The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar · Paul Laurence Dunbar

Keep A-pluggin' Away

52 of 424 · 1 min of reading

I 've a humble little motto

That is homely, though it 's true,--

Keep a-pluggin' away.

It's a thing when I 've an object

That I always try to do,--

Keep a-pluggin' away.

When you 've rising storms to quell,

When opposing waters swell,

It will never fail to tell,--

Keep a-pluggin' away.

If the hills are high before

And the paths are hard to climb,

Keep a-pluggin' away.

And remember that successes

Come to him who bides his time,--

Keep a-pluggin' away.

From the greatest to the least,

None are from the rule released.

Be thou toiler, poet, priest,

Keep a-pluggin' away.

Delve away beneath the surface,

There is treasure farther down,--

Keep a-pluggin' away.

Let the rain come down in torrents,

Let the threat'ning heavens frown,

Keep a-pluggin' away.

When the clouds have rolled away,

There will come a brighter day

All your labor to repay,--

Keep a-pluggin' away.

There 'll be lots of sneers to swallow,

There 'll be lots of pain to bear,--

Keep a-pluggin' away.

If you 've got your eye on heaven,

Some bright day you 'll wake up there,--

Keep a-pluggin' away.

Perseverance still is king;

Time its sure reward will bring;

Work and wait unwearying,--

Keep a-pluggin' away.

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End of part 52 of 424