Desiderata By Max Ehrmann : Poem Summary

Desiderata by Max Ehrmann: About the poem

Written in 1927, Max Ehrmanns didactic poem (a morally instructional piece) Desiderata(Latin
for desired things) offers a code for life emphasizing tolerance, inclusion and optimism. The
poem is full of wise sayings and gentle guidance. The reader is urged to find peace within
themselves, and project this inner peace in their dealings with the world. We see the poem
endorsing an attitude to accept the world in all its entirety, with all its contrasts.
Considering his occupation as a lawyer, Ehrmanns poem portrays his ethical and temperate
leanings to the art of living. Max Ehrmann once wrote in his diary I should like, if I could, to
leave a humble gift a bit of chaste prose that had caught up some noble moods. That
humble gift which he mused about in his diary became a timeless legacy Desiderata.

Desiderata is a prose poem that retains poetic elements like imagery and emotion, but in prose
or natural speech form. There is no undue embellishment in rhythm or tone. In Desideratas
case, its beauty stems solely from its clear meaning and tender intent. This simple telling of
universal wisdom is perhaps what will continue it for generations to come. In its wisdom, the
poem is comparable to Rudyard Kiplings famous poem If.
Note: Desiderata earned Ehrmann his most fame posthumously. The poem was widely published
in numerous formats, in various languages. It also came to be released as a title track in a
namesake music album by Warner Brothers in 1971.
Desiderata : Line by Line Explanation
Stanza 1
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
The opening promises a realm of tranquility ahead. The world is loud and fast. Its easy to be
overwhelmed by the sensory overload. Keep your calm or Go placidly is what the poet advises.
Interestingly the poet asks us to remember this peace, implying that this is not a new
experience. On occasion, everyone has felt a serenity when left alone in silence. Sometimes, we
forget to draw into this peace when we get lost in the frenetic pace of our lives. Therefore the
reminder Keep calm and cool off.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Simply, give respect and keep your respect. The poet speaks of being on good terms with all
persons or getting along well with people. It is wise to play the diplomat. And who doesnt like
being loved by everyone? But we owe it to ourselves not to shortchange our own principles and
beliefs. The poet notes that we might need to fight to do the right thing- without surrender.
Life is never neat. The poet understands the difficulty of the choices we face and thats probably
why he says as far as possible. Try not to get on the wrong side of people while doing the right
thing.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
Truth here is the intimate sharing of ones self- thoughts, experiences, feelings, ideas or beliefs.
The poet guides us to speak our truths quietly and clearly. Quietly allowing our truth the
dignity it deserves while not imposing it on anyone. Clearly so that those who genuinely want
to listen will take something of worth.
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
It takes courage to speak up. It takes an open mind to listen a different sort of courage. The
poet asks us to give others the respect that we would expect for ourselves. He points out that
even people who seem dull or ignorant have their own hidden stories. Its not necessary youll
gain insights from every conversation you have, but listening keeps us humbled and aware.
Stanza 2
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
Throughout the poem Desiderata, we see an emphasis on staying calm. The poet believes this to
be vital in achieving peace. Loud and aggressive people can give out unhealthy vibes, stirring
feelings of stress and restlessness around them. They seek to dominate and become Vexations to
the spirit or distressing to the soul. You are the company you keep. The reactions these people
provoke will simply disturb your equilibrium. Hence, the poet advises to best avoid such people
if inner peace is the readers goal.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Be content with who you are. The poet advises not to evaluate our worth through comparisons
with every other person. If you see yourself as better, misplaced pride would make you arrogant.
If you perceive yourself as inferior, chances are youll likely turn resentful and petty. Bottom
line, stay true to yourself. You have to be your own biggest critic and your own biggest fan.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Perhaps one of the most subtle ways anyone has said Dont rest on your laurels. The poet tells
us to allow ourselves credit where it is due enjoy your achievements. Savoring the fruits of
ones labor makes the effort worth it. Yet at the same time, he tells us to enjoy our plans. This is
a gentle nudge to go onward, plan ahead to move onto greater things; dont just rest on past
achievements.
Stanza 3
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
A career is essentially what you choose to do with your entire life. Regardless of what work you
choose, the poet asks us to keep interested. Taking an active interest in your work ensures that
your work remains interesting. Inevitably it leads to excellence. In the changing fortunes of
time, one never knows what Fate has in store. Excellence in what you do and finding joy in
doing it become invaluable in good times or bad. This is a real possession or asset of real
value.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
The poets words are a warning. Be discreet and keep your own counsel in matters of income and
work. There are people who would manipulate a persons opportunities, strengths and weakness
or failures to their benefit. The world can be a scheming place and you should not give your faith
blindly. You never know who will take advantage of your reputation or your earnings. Be on
guard and keep your counsel secret is what the poet is trying to say.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
The world might be a tricky place, but as the poet points out there is also another side to it. You
can find heroism in equal measure. Angels walk alongside the demons. There are people with
morals and values those who strive for high ideals. In watching your back, the poet counsels,
dont ignore the people who have got your back who are there to support you. As the poem
reads, let this not blind you to what virtue there is. Give your trust and respect to people who
have earned it.
Stanza 4
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Be true to your heart. Disney has built an entire franchise on this concept, not to mention how
many other brands. Clich this may be, it is still a challenge. Peer pressure, societys
expectations and the need for acceptance are realities that we constantly face. For peace in your
heart, do not fake your feelings- do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Being cynical about love means to be distrustful or mocking about the existence of love. True
Love when found, is eternal. It is as perennial as the grass it does not die after a specified
period of time. Even when faced with tough and hopeless conditions aridity and
disenchantment, love will happen if it has to happen. The poets idea behind the use of grass as a
metaphor is that like grass, love is unconditional it does not require any special treatment or
season to grow.
Stanza 5
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
The poet portrays Age as a teacher here. Each of the years we live makes us wiser through all we
live through. Counsel of the years includes our own individual experiences as well as the
experience and wisdom of the elders. On the other hand, youth is marked by inexperience,
passion and restlessness. When people are young, they are often guided by impulsion. The poet
here urges us to give up those emotions of the youth and be guided by the wisdom that mankind
has gathered over the ages. Use of the words kindly and gracefully reminds us to stay humble
to lifes lessons without losing our dignity.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
Strength of spirit is an inner force that is your own. Nurturing this strength is a disciplined
decision to build character. To the poet, this is important because it allows only you to be in
charge of your life and happiness. Especially when trouble strikes, more often than not we are
caught unawares. Help then is not usually available readily. In times like this, the strength of
spirit that you cultivated will stand you in good stead. You are not helpless or at anothers mercy.
You know that you can rely on yourself.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Sometimes our minds can be our worst enemy. The poet speaks of dark imaginings or negative
thoughts that could come from unnecessary worrying, distrust or anger. The poem identifies the
root of most fears stemming from tiredness and isolation. Therefore he directs us to consciously
steer away from depressing situations and rein our minds in. The strength of spirit the poet just
spoke about particularly comes in handy here.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
This is a question of setting standards. The poet is discerning enough to mention a
wholesome discipline. That refers to a code of conduct needed to promote our overall moral
well-being.
Then again, the poet reminds us that we are human. Life being the unpredictable teacher that it
is, can push us into grey areas circumstances where a rigid adherence to our principles may not
be possible. Then the poet reminds you to be gentle with yourself dont be too hard on
yourself. When life demands, we must find the grace to forgive ourselves and take comfort
knowing we did our best in a particular situation.
Stanza 6
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
Sure, there is a bit of philosophical dreaminess to these lines of Desiderata. But the meaning is
still undeniable. When the poet says you are a child of the universe, he is reminding you that
you are part of a bigger world than you can imagine. Scientifically speaking, on a cellular level,
you are comprised of pretty much the same elements as the world around you primarily carbon,
nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen. The universe nourishes you with what you require much the same
way as it nurtures other beings right from living things like the trees to nonliving entities like
the stars.
The words You have a right to be here are profound. No one wills themselves into existence.
Each of us were meant to be because of the designs of nature and fate. Therefore, we all have our
parts to play. By reminding us of our right to be here, the poet is asking us to appreciate our place
in the world and not belittle ourselves or our fellow entities with whom we share the universe.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Who are we to grasp the significance of our lives in the great scheme of things? The poet is
trying to make us realize that we cannot control everything. We are but tiny specks
infinitesimal beings in this vast universe. We cannot presume to know or fathom the logic or
pattern that the universe is working on. Seemingly unrelated events have their own significance,
becoming cause and consequence in their own right the universe is unfolding as it should.
Stanza 7
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
Though the working of this universe is beyond our control, the poet is helping us find an anchor.
The clue is in the verse Peace with God. This means to submit to God and let things run their
course. Dont fret on things beyond your control.
Understanding that God means different things to each person whatever you conceive Him to
be, the poet reaches out to a broad audience, making God more accessible. At a personal level,
God represents the being that makes you face your feelings, examine your actions and keep your
hopes alive. In short, He is the being whom your inner compass your conscience converses
with.
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
Life is a jumble organized and muddled, predictable and random, joyful and sad. Sometimes
one after the other, other times all at once. Then add the tangle of the way our lives crisscross
with others. You get the poets picture of the noisy confusion of life.
Our thoughts and deeds (labors and aspirations) are reactions to the contradictory situations and
roles Life throws at us. Ideally these should be in sync with our souls. The soul is your deepest
self who you are. Yet who you become is sometimes at odds with who you want to be.
Listening to your inner self and staying true to your heart are important to keep the inner peace
intact.
Stanza 8
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Dont lose sight of the beauty of the world. Sure, bad things happen. The poet admits there are
fraud (sham), drudgery (boring, hard work) and unfulfilled dreams. No one can pretend
otherwise. But the sweeter parts of Life are also a reality that need to be acknowledged. The poet
does not want the bad bits to blind the reader to the good that exists side by side. The world is
truly a beautiful place, if you will allow yourself to see it.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
In the final word, less is more. Few simple words to provide the most impact. The poet of
Desiderata tells us to be cheerful; strive to be happy look for the bright side of life. Count
your blessings. There is a lot in life to be grateful for. There are things to look forward to.
Max Ehrmann and everywhere life is full of
heroism.

Desiderata Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign
Go placidly amid the noise and affection.
haste, Neither be cynical about love;
and remember what peace there for in the face of all aridity and
may be in silence. disenchantment
As far as possible without it is as perennial as the grass.
surrender
Take kindly the counsel of the
be on good terms with all
years,
persons.
gracefully surrendering the
Speak your truth quietly and
things of youth.
clearly;
Nurture strength of spirit to
and listen to others,
shield you in sudden misfortune.
even the dull and the ignorant;
But do not distress yourself with
they too have their story.
dark imaginings.
Avoid loud and aggressive Many fears are born of fatigue
persons, and loneliness.
they are vexations to the spirit. Beyond a wholesome discipline,
If you compare yourself with be gentle with yourself.
others,
You are a child of the universe,
you may become vain and bitter;
no less than the trees and the
for always there will be greater
stars;
and lesser persons than yourself.
you have a right to be here.
Enjoy your achievements as well
And whether or not it is clear to
as your plans.
you,
Keep interested in your own no doubt the universe is
career, however humble; unfolding as it should.
it is a real possession in the
Therefore be at peace with God,
changing fortunes of time.
whatever you conceive Him to
Exercise caution in your
be,
business affairs;
and whatever your labors and
for the world is full of trickery.
aspirations,
But let this not blind you to what
in the noisy confusion of life
virtue there is;
keep peace with your soul.
many persons strive for high
ideals;
With all its sham, drudgery, and Be cheerful.
broken dreams, Strive to be happy.
it is still a beautiful world.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata,
Copyright 1952.