Keep A-Goin’: The Anthem of Resilience
When life throws thorns, hail, or loss your way, Stanton’s words remind us: the only way forward is to keep moving, keep trying, keep singing.
Keep A-Goin’!
Frank Lebby Stanton
Ef you strike a thorn or rose,
Keep a-goin’!
Ef it hails, or ef it snows,
Keep a-goin!
‘Taint no use to sit an’ whine,
When the fish ain’t on yer line;
Bait yer hook an’ keep a-tryin’—
Keep a-goin’!
When the weather kills yer crop,
Keep a-goin’!
When you tumble from the top,
Keep a-goin’!
S’pose you’re out of every dime,
Bein’ so ain’t any crime;
Tell the world you’re feelin’ prime—
Keep a-goin’!
When it looks like all is up,
Keep a-goin’!
Drain the sweetness from the cup,
Keep a-goin’!
See the wild birds on the wing,
Hear the bells that sweetly ring,
When you feel like sighin’ sing—
Keep a-goin’!
✨ Reflection
Frank Lebby Stanton’s “Keep A-Goin’” is more than a poem—it’s a call to courage. Life’s thorns and roses, its hailstorms and sunny days, come to us all. Stanton’s wisdom is simple but profound: don’t get stuck in defeat. Keep casting your line, keep planting your seeds, keep moving forward even when the path feels heavy. The poem urges us to find joy, even in sorrow, by choosing persistence over despair and song over sighs. What matters most is not the size of our trials but the spirit with which we face them. To keep going is not to deny hardship but to affirm that hope still lives in us, even when circumstances say otherwise.
❓ Questions for Deeper Reflection
- What “thorn or rose” in your own life has tested your ability to keep going?
- How might perseverance be an act of faith rather than just stubbornness?
- When have you chosen to “sing instead of sigh”—and how did that change your outlook?