OPPORTUNITY

           THIS I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream:–

            There spread a cloud of dust along a plain;

            And underneath the cloud, or in it, raged

            A furious battle, and men yelled, and swords

            Shocked upon swords and shields. A prince’s banner

            Wavered, then staggered backward, hemmed by foes.

            A craven hung along the battle’s edge,

            And thought, “Had I a sword of keener steel–

            That blue blade that the king’s son bears, — but this

            Blunt thing–!” he snapped and flung it from his hand,

            And lowering crept away and left the field.

            Then came the king’s son, wounded, sore bestead,

            And weaponless, and saw the broken sword,

            Hilt-buried in the dry and trodden sand,

            And ran and snatched it, and with battle shout

            Lifted afresh he hewed his enemy down,

            And saved a great cause that heroic day.

– Edward Rowland Sill 

“Opportunity” is reprinted from The Little Book of American Poets: 1787-1900. Ed. Jessie B. Rittenhouse. Cambridge: Riverside Press, 1915.

Robert Frost wrote a narrative poem that has its roots, I think,
in this story of the king’s son. Frost’s poem is titled,
“How Hard It Is to Keep from Being King When It’s in You and in the Situation.”

You should read it.

The point I wish to make is this: Kings are kings for a reason. Whiners whine, complainers complain, critics make suggestions and talkers talk.

Doers do.