A Selection of Original Songs, Scraps, Etc., by Ned Farmer (3rd ed.)/'Tis Wonderful what we can Do if we Try

by Edward Farmer

'Tis Wonderful what we can Do if we Try.

[Published by the permission of W. T. Belcher, Esq., Birmingham, to whom the copyright belongs, and where the Music may be had.]

 

I'm fond of old maxims, they serve to convey,
A vast deal of truth in a very brief way;
For instance, take this one, which none can deny,
It's wonderful what we can do if we try!

What a beacon of hope in this sentence we find!
What a spur to exertion it lends to the mind!
Neglected full half of our energies lie;
Oh, it's wonderful what we can do if we try!

Whatever our station in life, but look round,
Some object of pity is easily found,
The aged, distressed, or the young let astray,
Are by no means uncommon, I'm sorry to say.

To banish cold Want from the sufferer's door;
O'er the spirit that's wounded, soft pity to pour
The tears of the widow and orphan to dry;
Oh, it's wonderful what we can do if we try!

How sad to imagine the fault may be ours,
That many are weeds that were meant to be flowers;
There are plenty (God, help them!) now guilty and bad,
Had been better if different teaching they'd had.

And where, in this strange, busy world, would I ask,
Is so glorious a labour, so grateful a task,
As to cheer up the hearts of the wretched with joy!
And it's wonderful what we can do if we try!