Poem and Speech for the Day

As for the poem, I found it while perusing through The Miracle of Forgiveness. It stirred something deep down within me. There is such substance, such passion, ideals, and power that comes from the writings of early America. Maybe it was the newness of the Nation's birth, from all that enabled its forthcoming, including the work, sacrifice, hope, and faith that produced such fruition. There was a variety of citizens/people that lived during the time. Many factors influenced the individuals themes and diverse ideas, yet there is a common thread of power and passion that I feel when I read those works. I love the writing of that time period! Here's the poem, a mere sample of the time period selection:

My heart was heavy, for its trust had been

Abused, its kindness answered with foul wrong;

So turning gloomily from my fellow men,

One summer Sabbath day I strolled among

The green mounds of the village burial-place;

Where, pondering how all human love and hate

Find one sad level; and how, soon or late,

Wronged and wrongdoer, each with meekened face,

And cold hands folded over a still heart,

Pass the threshold of our common grave,

Whither all footsteps tend, whence none depart,

Awed for myself and pitying my race,

Our common sorrow, like a mighty wave,

Swept all my pride away, and, trembling, I forgave.

-John Greenleaf Whittier

Here is an excellent speech given by Douglas L. Callister. Callister was just recently released as a General Authority this past October Conference. The speech was given to students at BYU. It will give you something to think about. As it addresses literature and the arts I was interested immediately. If you aren't concerned about literature and the arts, maybe you will be after you read it.