To risk

life lessons

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental,

To reach out to another is to risk involvement,

To expose feelings is to risk exposing your

true self.

To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd

is to risk their loss.

To love is to risk not being loved in return,

to hope is to risk despair,

to try is to risk to failure.

But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing is nothing.

He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live.

Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has

forfeited all freedom.

Only a person who risks is free.

The pessimist complains abut the wind;

The optimist expects it to change;

and the realist adjusts the sails.

Reviews

[L.G. Knight]

Great Message... Notice a few grammar things... grr hate that when I miss them so I am going to get those out of the way first...

to hope is to riks despair,
Risk

to try is to risk to failure.
To try is to risk failure.
...
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing is nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.
...
and the realistadjusts the sails.
and the realist adjusts the sails.

... now with that out of the way, this is a very wonderful poem with a very deep meaning and it is one that is, all too often ignored, in todays society of political correctness...
People watching their tounges for fear of biting them off, and people watching their step for fear of stumbling... This is a message deperatly needed in todays society...
People will never be more than mediocra if they don't start remembering that the great people in this world got their by taking risks that no other person seemed willing to take...
I bet you Poe, King, Kennedy, and any other great man or waman you can think of never thought about the risk they were taking as any more than a means to an end...

Wonderfully said and very well penned... I Loved it!

~Frances~

[Donald Olds]

See what I mean even though you've been ripped apart you still keep your head up and keep looking for the good in everybody!!! Your eye on the future and your heart in your hand ready to give freely your unconditional love!!

[Kim]

Good message here. My favorite line is "the person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing is nothing. Except for a couple typo's it is a great write

[Vincent]

not bad.