Which is More Appealing

2. We have been reading Anne Sexton's poem, "Courage" and Rudyard Kipling's poem "If". Both poems deal with the theme of courage. Which poem appeals most to you and explain why. Consider what the poet says and how each poet expresses his/her viewpoint.



The poem that caught my attention out of the two was Rudyard Kipling's "If.." After reading I was given a sort of motivational feeling from his choice of words. My life is at the point where the decisions I make will follow me throughout my entire life. There is pressure all around me from friends, family, and enemies. No one is able to make decisions for me so I am left to make them even if what I believe is supported by others or not. The lines 25-28 " If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings- nor lose the common touch, if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much.." were the first to appeal to me. They really reminded me of the importance of self-belief because no matter who or how many people are against your opinions, you must always stay true to yourself and follow through with your ideas and dreams. Rudyard's style of writing was meant to give instruction's to show how one can be a better person. The speaker was obviously an older figure ( father, mother) because they've learned by their mistakes throughout their lifetime which they can now use as a guideline to lead others into better choices. "Courage" was also told by an individual who had faced hard times and passed on her emotions from the time she was a child to the time of death.