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Poem
June 4, 1921
The Cordova Daily Times
Cordova, Alaska
What is this article about?
A poem titled 'IT'S YOU' argues that the quality of one's hometown depends on personal attitude and community effort, not the town itself. It critiques those who complain without contributing, using metaphors of farming and returns on investment to emphasize self-responsibility.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
IT ISN'T THE TOWN IT'S YOU
The man who knocks his town or his neighbor is in no position to advise or inform a stranger who is looking for a home. We believe in the sentiment of the poem, "It's You." Do you?
IT'S YOU
If you want to have the kind of home town
Like the kind of a town you like,
You needn't slip your clothes in a grip
And start on a long, long hike.
You'll only find what you left behind,
For there's nothing that's really new.
It's a knock at yourself when you knock your town;
It isn't the town—it's you.
You wouldn't expect, if you mined your soil,
Bumper crops that you used to get;
Nor aught but runts from feeding that stunts;
Nor payment without a debt.
One gets returns from what he earns.
Something must first be due.
If your town doesn't pay, look at it this way:
It isn't the town, it's you.
Real towns are not made by men afraid
That others will get ahead.
When everyone works and nobody shirks,
You can raise a town from the dead.
And if, while you make, your personal stake,
Your neighbors can make one, too,
Your town will be what you want it to be;
It isn't the town—it's you.
The man who knocks his town or his neighbor is in no position to advise or inform a stranger who is looking for a home. We believe in the sentiment of the poem, "It's You." Do you?
IT'S YOU
If you want to have the kind of home town
Like the kind of a town you like,
You needn't slip your clothes in a grip
And start on a long, long hike.
You'll only find what you left behind,
For there's nothing that's really new.
It's a knock at yourself when you knock your town;
It isn't the town—it's you.
You wouldn't expect, if you mined your soil,
Bumper crops that you used to get;
Nor aught but runts from feeding that stunts;
Nor payment without a debt.
One gets returns from what he earns.
Something must first be due.
If your town doesn't pay, look at it this way:
It isn't the town, it's you.
Real towns are not made by men afraid
That others will get ahead.
When everyone works and nobody shirks,
You can raise a town from the dead.
And if, while you make, your personal stake,
Your neighbors can make one, too,
Your town will be what you want it to be;
It isn't the town—it's you.
What sub-type of article is it?
Song
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
Satire Society
What keywords are associated?
Hometown
Personal Responsibility
Community Effort
Self Reflection
Moral Instruction
Poem Details
Title
It's You
Subject
On Personal Responsibility In Community
Form / Style
Rhymed Quatrains
Key Lines
It's A Knock At Yourself When You Knock Your Town;
It Isn't The Town—It's You.
One Gets Returns From What He Earns.
Something Must First Be Due.
If Your Town Doesn't Pay, Look At It This Way:
It Isn't The Town, It's You.
When Everyone Works And Nobody Shirks,
You Can Raise A Town From The Dead.