I basically have to put this poem in my own words. Some sentences I don't really understand, so it would be a great help to me if you could tell me what they mean. I have to rephrase each sentence. After the semicolon, a new sentence begins.
Here is the poem;
Success
To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.
Rephrasement;
To laugh often and much:
-Find humour in things and enjoy every bit
To win the respect of intelligent people:
-Behave nicely and well before elders and show compassion for children
To earn the appreciation of honest critics:
-???????????????????
To appreciate beauty:
-to love others for who they are?
To find the best in others:
-To find one's best qualities
To leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition:
-To clean after yourself; keep organized..... (what else?)
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived:
-?????????????????
The last line of the poem is "This is to have succeeded"- I don't think I have to rephrase that do I?
It's not always a good idea to take a poem one line at a time. Sometimes you need to read and consider the lines in groups or pairs.
To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.
Here are two websites that give you some good ideas about reading and interpreting poetry. (You can ignore the parts about explicating or explaining.)
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/poetry-explication.html
http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/markport/best/study/poetry.htm
To earn the appreciation of honest critics:
- To receive positive feedback and praise from those who provide fair and constructive criticism.
To appreciate beauty:
- To recognize and admire the aesthetics, artistry, and wonder of the world around us.
To find the best in others:
- To identify and focus on the positive qualities, strengths, and virtues of the people we interact with.
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition:
- To contribute positively to the world, whether it be through nurturing and raising a healthy child, cultivating a beautiful garden, or improving societal conditions for the better.
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived:
- To understand that if, through your actions and existence, you have made even a single person feel more at ease or relieved in their life, then you have achieved success.
The last line of the poem, "This is to have succeeded," expresses the idea that fulfilling these ideals and having a positive impact on others and the world is what constitutes true success.