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Desiderata


Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.


If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.


Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially 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. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.


Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.


Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.


Strive to be happy.


--- Max Ehrmann, 1927






I read these words every day from a beautiful Desiderata poster hanging in my dining room, a calligraphy poster by Sherrie Lovler. You might like to visit her site to see this plus her other lovely calligraphic creations. Art Posters of Canada has a waterfall poster.

An excellent source of information on the authorship, copyright and history of Desiderata can be found on Volkert Braren's site which includes a photo of St.Paul's Parish, Baltimore, and printed material provided by the Parish. Old St Paul's, Barbara Mikkelson, Donald Simanek and artandpoetry.com have informative sites.

Ehrmann's biographical information can be found here and here, plus the origins of the Old Saint Paul's Church myth. You might enjoy reading other poems written by Max Erhmann.

The Desiderata is available for purchase as a 8 page hardcover, Desiderata : A Poem for a Way of Life, illustrated by Sally Sturmanat from Amazon.com. "This classic book of inspiration has sold more than 190,000 copies and continues to give comfort and cheer to new readers year after year." Amazon provides 10 sample pages online for this book.

The Desiderata is also available as a 64 page collection of 24 Max Ehrmann poems in hardcover, The Desiderata of Love : A Collection of Poems for the Beloved, at Amazon.com, illustrated with 24 Sally Sturman line drawings. "They beautifully express his eternal optimism and undying love of human beings and their joyful relationship with each other." Desiderata, How Beautiful Is Life!, Only the Loved, To Be Loved, A Man and a Woman, When I Come Home, The One Woman, The One Man, Yes or No, I Shall Come to Her, The Loveless Marveled, At the Dance, To-morrow I'm Away, Love's Paradox, I Give Myself for Love, He Will Come, To You Who Come at Evening, The Loves of Other Years, Where Love Abides, O Dream of Love!, A Woman's Question, The Old Philosopher, Soul and Body, Forever.


The Desiderata is also available as a 63 page collection of 37 Max Ehrmann life-affirming poems in hardcover, The Desiderata of Happiness : A Collection of Philosophical Poems, at Amazon.com in hardcover, illustrated by Sally Sturman, "All beautifully expressing both his contentment with the world and his sorrow at injustice and selfishness." Desiderata, Whatever Else You Do, To Be with You, Wanderers, A Prayer, Love Some One, Assurances, Life, You with the Still Soul, Happiness, Love and Faith, Sleep, Evening Song, Dear One, Sometime!, Calm Faces, Winter, Summer, Song, I Go My Way, I Journeyed from University to University, Away, Simple Fishermen, Complacent Women - 1918, Crisis, Sunday Night, A Few Hours Ago, Dark Days, Alien Fires, A Tradesman and a Poet, The Moon, The Abyss of Perfect Knowledge, A Piece of Toast, I Sit and Wait, The Noise of the City, Reforming Oneself, Work


The Desiderata is also available as a 79 page collection of 52 Max Ehrmann life-affirming poems, The Desiderata of Hope : A Collection of Poems to Ease Your Way in Life (Desiderata Series , No 5), at Amazon.com in hardcover, illustrated by Sally Sturman,"Designed to inspire courage and fortitude in the most trying of times." Desiderata, To Begin Again, Tell Me, I Sit and Smile at Myself, One Will Pass the Door, Walk Sweetly, Myself, Kindness, That Other Voice, We Sit and Judge, The Dream, The Lure of the World, If the Noise of the City, To You Who Come at Evening, Sleep Sweetly, A Toast to Sombre Students, I Know, Spring, To a Poet, The Light of a Cheerful Heart, Oft in a Crowded Mart, O Sweet Content, Nothing, Hope, I Look Over This Wilderness, In the Night's Mysterious Stillness, Who Loves Mankind, If You Have Made Gentler the Churlish World, Do You Remember Once Upon a Night?, I Sit Afraid, The Life to Lead, Croesus's Dream, At Nightfall, Dream-Work, After Day, Home Again, Revolution, This High Resolve, Private Interpretations, England - 1940, Friendship, In the Hospital, The Dreamer and the Dead, Goodness, I Stood at the Crossing of Two Streets, At the Opera, The Hate and the Love of the World, The Stillness of the Night, Give Me Today, A Bachelor's Winter Evening Revery, Peace Shall Live, The World's Newborn Today, Beauty, Thou Mother


The Desiderata is also available from Amazon.com as a collection of 24 Max Ehrmann religious poems - The Desiderata of Faith : A Collection of Religious Poems. This hardcover, illustrated with 26 line drawings by Sally Sturman, "reflects on the important role of religious faith in human life." Desiderata, Thou Whom We Call God!, The Voice, Autumn, Where God is, Who Entereth Here, Journey's End, An Artist's Prayer, Revelation, To the Masters of Men, Progressive Confessional, An Easter Prayer, The Beloved Dead, God, Ships Returning Home, Ego Ipse, Faith, Prayer For Repose, The Last Prayer, Prayer in War Time, A Psalm, I Went into a Magnificent Church, Thou That Art Idle Born, Oh, Lift Us Up!, Dark Days, Certainty, Death and Life, The Light of a Cheerful Heart, Parable of the Ship and the Sea, Old Age, To Be Loved, My Native City, To-morrow, Tell Us, Philosopher, Rest, Eheu!, Thoughts on a September Night


In Dec 1971 Les Crane's record of Desiderata set to music was #8 on the charts. It is now available as an audio CD thru Amazon.com. Also at Amazon.com is Arturo Benavides singing a Spanish version on his 1997 CD.






There are MANY Desiderata pages on the net. I've found more than 260. These are my #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7 favorites.

I also found Desiderata written in many languages. If you know of any others, please let me know.
Dutch:
"Wees kalm temidden van het lawaai en de haast en bedenk, welk een vrede er in stilte kan heersen. Sta op goede voet met alle mensen, zonder jezelf geweld aan te doen. Zeg je waarheid rustig en duidelijk, en luister naar anderen; ook zij vertellen hun verhaal. Mijd luidruchtige en agressieve mensen: zij belasten de geest..."
Finnish:
"Mene tyynesti hälyn ja kiireen keskellä ja muista, mikä rauha kätkeytyy hiljaisuuteen. Niin pitkälle kuin itsestäsi luopumatta on mahdollista, pysy hyvissä väleissä kaikkien ihmisten kanssa. Puhu oma totuutesi rauhallisesti ja selkeästi. Kuuntele muita, myös typeriä ja tietämättömiä; heilläkin on tarinansa kerrottavanaan..."
French:
"Reste calme au milieu du bruit et de l'impatience et souviens-toi de la paix qui découle du silence. Autant que tu le peux, mais sans te renier, sois en bon termes avec tout le monde. Dis ce que tu penses, clairement, simplement; et écoute les autres, même les sots et les ignorants; eux aussi ont quelque chose à dire..."
German:
"Geh freundlich und gelassen inmitten von Lärm und Hast, und denke daran, welcher Friede in der Stille zu finden ist. So weit wie immer möglich und ohne dich selbst aufzugeben, versuche mit allen Menschen auszukommen. Rede von deiner Wahrheit ruhig und deutlich, und hör andern zu, selbst wenn sie dir langweilig und unwissend erscheinen; auch sie haben ihre Geschichte..."
Italian:
""Procedi con calma tra il frastuono e la fretta, e ricorda quale pace può esserci nel silenzio; Per quanto puoi senza cedimenti, sii in buoni rapporti con tutti; Dì la verità con calma e chiarezza; e ascolta gli altri pur se noiosi e incolti, anche loro hanno una storia da raccontare; Evita le persone volgari e prepotenti; esse opprimono lo spirito..."
Polish:
"Przechod? spokojnie przez ha?as i po?piech i pami?taj, jaki spokój mo?na znale?? w ciszy. O ile to mo?liwe, bez wyrzekania si? siebie, b?d? na dobrej stopie ze wszystkimi. Wypowiadaj sw? prawd? jasno i spokojnie i wys?uchaj innych, nawet t?pych i nie?wiadomych, oni te? maj? swoj? opowie??. Unikaj g?o?nych i napastliwych, s? udr?k? ducha. ..."
Portugese:
"Siga tranqüilamente entre a inquietude e a pressa, lembrando-se de que há sempre paz no silêncio. Tanto quanto possível sem humilhar-se, mantenha-se em harmonia com todos que o cercam. Fale a sua verdade, clara e mansamente. Escute a verdade dos outros, pois eles também têm a sua própria história. ..."
Spanish:
"Camina plácidamente entre el ruido y la prisa, y recuerda que puedes encontrar la paz en el silencio. Hasta donde sea posible trata de mantener buenas relaciones con todo el mundo. Di tu verdad serena y claramente; y escucha a los demás, Incluso al torpe y al aburrido; ellos también tienen su propia verdad. Evita las personas ruidosas y agresivas, porque son un mal para el espíritu..."
Swedish:
"Vandra lugnt i brådskan och larmet — minns vilken frid det kan finnas i tystnaden. Lev i sämja med andra människor, så långt det är möjligt, utan att förneka dig själv. Hävda din sanning lugnt och högt; lyssna också till vad andra säger, även dårar och ignoranter har sin berättelse. Undvik bullersamma och stridslystna människor, för sådana är en plåga för sinnet..."



I've found various versions of Desiderata:
Cub Scouts version
"Go placidly amid the noise and excitement of your meeting, and remember that this is one sign of good Scouting. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all your fellow leaders. Plan your programs carefully and cheerfully; and listen to others, even the youngest Wolf Cub; he will give you many moments of joy..." 1993
Pilot's version
"Discover your far horizons; but embrace the sky softly, quietly, so that others of your kind may follow. Know your limitations from moment to moment and be humble when the elements are against you. Accept advice from those before you, seeking out their truths. Use your temper as a catalyst to keep you advancing; guarding it with vigilance though, lest you be obliged to bite your tongue..." By Thomas F. Legg, 1979
Tokyo version
"Go placidly amid the teeming expressways and the urban congestion and remember what joy there may be along Tokyo's sidestreets. Eat of the sushi, the sashimi and the soba and taste the delicious sticks of yakitori, torinegi and sheesh kebab. You are a resident of one of the most bustling cities in the world, so walk with your head held high and your smile attached...."
Bureaucrat version
"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste and remember what peace there may be in nonresponsiveness. As far as possible, be on good terms with all other bureaucrats. Speak quietly and clearly and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have information for your files. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the bureaucratic spirit..."
Desiderata Too version
"Don't go placidly among the apathy and lethargy. Remember that your silence is consent and there can no peace where there is injustice. You can't please all the people all the time, so shout your truth from the mountain top and don't accept nonsense from the bigoted, the ignorant and the self-serving. Don't avoid people who are upset. They may have good reasons and your care and interest may make them less aggressive..." By Andrew Bunney 1992.
Deteriorata version
"Go placidly amid the noise and the waste and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof. Avoid quiet and passive persons unless you are in need of sleep. Rotate your tires. Speak glowingly of those greater than yourself and heed well their advice, even though they be turkeys; know what to kiss and when..." By Tony Hendra, 1972
Undesiderata version
"Go placidly amid the noise & haste, but better yet, avoid the noise and haste altogether. Be on good terms with all persons as far as possible; especially with shopkeepers. Speak the truth plainly & clearly; listen to others, even the dull and ignorant, until you are certain they are utterly useless. When you are not among men of reason, it is better to run than argue..." By Romana Machado, 1995
Star Trek 23rd century version
"Go boldly across the void of space, and remember what peace there may be in its silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all lifeforms. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even silicon-based sentients; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive Klingons, they are vexations to the spirit..." By Art Canfil, 1976
Stardate 2932.4 Disintegrata version:
"Go nastily amid the peace and tranquility, and remember what satisfaction there may be in genocide. As far as possible, without surrender, move into other people's space. Lie often, and loudly; and listen to the lies of others, even the slow and incompetent -- examples can be made of them later. Seek out meek and inoffensive persons; they are annoying, but fun to kill..." By Lioncale Enterprises, 1975
Gamers' version:
"Go placidly amid the smoke and carnage, and remember what peace there may be between lives. As far as possible without sacrificing a clear shot, be on good terms with all combatants. Deliver your truth with careful aim, and let others discharge theirs into walls and crates, even the slow and clumsy; they too have firepower. Avoid berserk and trigger-happy partners; they get fragged early...." By Nathan C. Myers, 2001
DesADDerota Interactive MAD LIBS version:
Make up your own Desiderata version.




Enjoy!






Desiderata Websites
https://armandg.netfirms.com/desiderata.html - French
https://anxiety-closet.mit.edu:8001/people/mwhitson/desiderata.html
https://binghams.plus.com/pim/desiderata.htm
https://cobras.org/desiderata.htm
https://coach.bannerview.com/mmc/2003-09-15.html
https://doorway3.tripod.com/desiderata.html
https://exit2.i-55.com/~pmc/desidera.html
https://fishrush.tripod.com/
https://foolmoon.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=152378
https://groups.msn.com/tothebeatofadifferentdrum/yourwebpage12.msnw
https://hem.passagen.se/bjarnar/vandra.htm - Swedish
https://hobbes.ncsa.uiuc.edu/desiderata.html
https://home1.pacific.net.sg/~cuffed/passage.htm
https://home.att.net/~Teasdale/max.html
https://home.tampabay.rr.com/bushman/Desiderata.htm
https://jbk.org/desiderata.html
https://koti.mbnet.fi/amoira/ehrmann1.htm
https://lightning.prohosting.com/~lprzasny/project/desider.htm
https://ls11-www.informatik.uni-dortmund.de/people/banzhaf/desiderata.html
https://mailer.fsu.edu/~ssheffie/desidera.htm
https://maxpages.com/paginas/Desiderata
https://members.aol.com/mskulit/desiderata.html
https://members.aol.com/bajangrl/Stephweb/desidert.htm
https://members.aol.com/sanusfortis/sanusfortis/Desiderata.htm - German
https://members.aol.com/Urqu/andco9.index.html
https://members.iglou.com/mantia/desider.html
https://members.tripod.com/~Angelica74/desiderata.html
https://mypage.direct.ca/d/dfoggin/desid01.html
https://pages.citenet.net/users/ctmx0718/desidera.htm
https://passedoverpets.tripod.com/id39.htm
https://patter.mine.nu/desidera.htm
https://www.prevent-abuse-now.com/hope3.htm
https://reality.memex.co.uk/staff/acg/Pages/desiderata.html
https://rivendell.fortunecity.com/castle/83/pagan/desiderata/desiderata.htm
https://rivendell.fortunecity.com/castle/83/pagan/desiderata/ddesiderata.htm - German
https://songweaver.com/hlc/desiderata.html
https://thecolefamily.com/michael/desiderata.htm
https://thundercloud.net/acpressions/desiderata.htm
https://ucowww.ucsc.edu/~sla/desid.html
https://users.internorth.com/~wiccan/personal/desidera.htm
https://webpages.charter.net/emilb/desidera.html
https://www.abramsvet.com/des.htm
https://www.ameritech.net/users/macler/desiderata.html - mine
https://www.angelfire.com/sd/amandascoffeeshoppe/desiderata.html
https://www.appintec.com/desiderata.html
https://www.arktion.org/main.php?pagnaam=Home&subpagnaam=Desiderata
https://www.astro.umd.edu/~marshall/desiderata.html
https://www.av.qnet.com/~andrew/desider.htm
https://www.babybirddezign.com/desiderata.html
https://www.barclaycabin.com/items/desiderata.html
https://www.billcoulter.com/desiderata.htm
https://www.btinternet.com/~orionmoon/DES.htm
https://www.bucksworld.com/desiderata.html
https://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~ngargano/corsi/100/desiderata.html - Italian
https://www.citenet.net/users/ctmx0718/desidera.htm
https://www.concentric.net/~conure/desi.shtml
https://www.cs.nmsu.edu/~kcrumpto/des.html
https://www.cs.columbia.edu/~gongsu/desiderata_frameless.html
https://www.csoakley.com/9137.html
https://www.cus.cam.ac.uk/~laj1003/desiderata.html
https://www.desiderata.com/
https://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/desidera.htm
https://www.expressionsofspirit.com/desidera.htm
https://www.ezau.com/soul/desiderata.shtml
https://www.fleurdelis.com/desidera.htm
https://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/carmelita/214/Parlour.html
https://www.friendsoffreedom.com/Writings/Desiderata.html
https://www.gaylasgarden.com/life.htm
https://www.geocities.com/~olelo/desiderata.html
https://www.geocities.com/Athens/7976/textos3.htm - Portuguese
https://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Balcony/2149/
https://www.geocities.com/kathie5255/desiderata.html
https://www.geocities.com/lswote/desiderata.html
https://www.geocities.com/lswote/desiderata.french.html - French
https://www.geocities.com/lswote/desiderata.spanish.html - Spanish
https://www.geocities.com/mmaiden42/mepg7.html
https://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Boardwalk/6696/desiderata.html
https://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Shores/4167/Desiderata.html
https://www.gfdl.gov/~tt/Desiderata.html/
https://www.glowgadgets.co.uk/Desiderata.shtml
https://www.greendzn.com/desiderata.htm
https://www.healtalk.com/public/9.shtml
https://www.homestead.com/spiritualdevelopmentpage/Desiderata.html
https://www.inkmonkey.com/artgallery/desiderata/desiderata.html
https://www.ishaah.com/Desiderata.cfm https://www.jgutz.com/Desiderata.htm
https://www.kombu.de/desid-dt.htm - German
https://www.kombu.de/desid-e.htm
https://www.macedonia.co.uk/mcic/soulandspirit/desiderata/desidero.asp
https://www.mastermason.com/BrotherGene/wisdom/desiderata.htm
https://www.maxpages.com/paginas/Desiderata
https://www.mit.edu/people/mwhitson/desiderata.html
https://www.mongboys.com/precepts.htm
https://www.moonfairye.com/pagan/desiderata/desiderata.htm
https://www.moonfairye.com/pagan/desiderata/ddesiderata.htm - German
https://www.motherlandbridgegallery.com/desiderata.htm
https://www.mypeoplepc.com/members/catalyst/catalyst/id11.html
https://www.naute.com/penserie/desiderata.phtml - French
https://www.nenevr.demon.co.uk/
https://www.oldstpauls.ang-md.org/desiderata.htm
https://www.pacifier.com/~songbird/desiderata.htm
https://paspeya.tripod.com/desiderata.htm - French
https://www.personal.psu.edu/users/n/e/neg111/desiderata.html
https://www.polhome.com/desiderata.shtml - Polish
https://www.polhome.com/desiderata_en.shtml
https://www.prevent-abuse-now.com/hope3.htm
https://www.psalm40.org/desidrta.html
https://www.rainbowconnextion.com/poetry04.htm
https://www.rdmnxdesigns.com/desiderata.html
https://www.rom101.com/storyview.jsp?storyid=349
https://www-sccm.stanford.edu/students/aczon/des.html
https://www.serv.net/~techbear/humanism/desiderata.html
https://www.sfheart.com/desiderata.html
https://www.skdesigns.com/internet/articles/prose/desiderata_t.html
https://www.smokeypoint.org/desiderada.htm
https://www.snopes.com/language/document/desidera.htm
https://www.soc-um.org/survivors/inspiration/desiderata.html
https://www.soulwork.net/sw_articles_eng/desiderata.htm
https://www.spirasolaris.ca/Desiderata.html
https://www.stud.ntnu.no/~mo/desiderata.html
https://www.tanagra.demon.co.uk/desiderata.html
https://www.technomom.com/desiderata.html
https://www.tentmaker.org/tracts/Desiderata.html
https://www.thinkage.on.ca/~akilgour/des.html
https://www.thundercloud.net/acpressions/desiderata.htm
https://www.time4me.com/icq/poem/desi.htm
https://www.turtlesweb.com/turtle/des/desiderata.html
https://www.ucolick.org/~sla/desid.html
https://www.users.interport.net/~sue/text/desidera.html
https://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/torwood/PAGES/SERIOUS/DESI.HTM
https://www.virtualcandy.com/desiderata.html
https://www.washingtonmo.com/words/99-03-07.htm
https://www.webspawner.com/users/desideratachild/
https://www.wizvax.net/jamie/desidera.htm
https://www.wordworx.co.nz/desiderata.html
https://www.xs4all.nl/~bslikker/desiderata-en.html - English
https://www.xs4all.nl/~bslikker/desiderata-nl.html - Dutch
https://www.xs4all.nl/~bslikker/desiderata-sp.html - Spanish



Thank you, Max Ehrmann



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