Put Away Childish Things Poem by Harley White
Put Away Childish Things
Put away childish things
yet keep the childlike wonder.
Though dreams be rent asunder
our wishes still have wings.
Put away childish speech
but not the constant queries
that question rooted theories
which reason cannot reach.
Put away childish ken,
though artless ways of seeing
in any age of being
will find a poet's pen.
Put away childish thought
yet not imagination
which sparks our inspiration
beyond what we are taught.
Put away childish things
but follow deepest desires.
Those secret innermost fires
burn brighter as hope sings.
Put away childish whim
yet not delight in playing,
then when the world's dismaying,
our days won't seem so grim.
Put away childish fears.
Nonetheless, through thick and thin
hang on to the child within,
the laughter and the tears,
all the livelong years…
Put away childish things.
While our dusty death is nigh,
the utter self shall not die,
and karmic kismet clings.
Put away childish things,
though then in mirror darkly
we face our image starkly,
plus suffer destined slings.
Put away childish pain
yet not sensations tender
for sunset's golden splendor
or soothing thrum of rain,
therein the simple joys remain…
Nor questing spirit ever lose,
while on the pathway that we choose,
neither from love refrain
which makes a heaven of earth's domain.
Still, throughout, with faith unshaken,
seek enlightenment to waken,
thus the bliss supreme to gain,
plus not to live and die in vain…
Put away childish things
but hold to yearning youthful
to grasp the learning truthful
which timeless wisdom brings.
Put away childish things,
and embrace the peerless state
of illumined grace innate
wherefrom great fortune springs!
"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, darkly, but then face to face."
1 Corinthians 13 ~ The New King James Version (NKJV) translation of the Bible
Further inspiration derived from the teachings and writings of Nichiren Daishōnin, as well as Martin Bradley's interpretative writings about them…
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Painting ~ "A Pageant of Childhood" ~ Thomas Cooper Gotch,1899
I present a monthly 30 minute program on poetry for campus radio. I am putting together an upcoming program on children's poetry. I would love to finish with this poem. The idea that we don't lose the spirit of childhood seems a valuable one to include.
Beautiful poem. Yes, we need to put away our childishness, as we grow up. But, we need to keep the child-like inquisitiveness throughout our life. That would make the life worthwhile. A poet of yesteryears in Malayalam has written, ‘one need to continue to learn till the last breath'..
Yes, this is sometimes a difficult balance to achieve but an important one...
A creative and compelling composition, beautifully and appealingly expressed....
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/17/2024 3:28:36 PM # 1.0.0.1119
'Put away childish things, and embrace the peerless state of illumined grace innate wherefrom great fortune springs! ' .....this is wonderful poetry. Without losing childlike innocence one should work for the betterment of society. Enjoyed. Thanks for posting.
Yes, that is indeed what I basically wanted to convey. Thanks so much for the reaction and comment. I appreciate it!