"It Couldn't be Done"

This poem is inspiration to me when I feel a task is impossible.

Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That "Maybe it couldn't," but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one had ever done it";
But he took off his coat, and he took of his hat,
And first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle right in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it,
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That 'cannot be done,' and you'll do it.

I love the way Edger Guest uses poetry as a form of encouragement to try to go to new heights. Its's like the saying goes:

Every great accomplishment was, at first, impossible.