I contracted a disease which I have never shaken off. The disease was idealism. Because of it, I did the thing in life I wanted to do - Writing.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

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.

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.

For the entire Desiderata go to Inspirational Poems page

Whether of not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Go Placidly, Amid the noise and Haste & Remember what peace there may be in silence.

May I not forget that poverty and riches are of the spirit. Though the world knows me not, may my thoughts and actions be such as will keep me friendly with myself.

Let me not follow in the clamor of the world, but walk calmly in my path.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

In the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

Well, it's either kiss me or kill me, that's how I see it.

I was so thin I could slice bread with my shoulderblades, only I seldom had bread.

You couldn't be a racist and live in L.A.; you'd be exhausted.

I don't really know what's going on with the Pornographers - everyone's kind of doing their own stuff. I mean, they play shows here or there.

You're not a moron. You're only a case of arrested development.

At a recent education summit, President Obama admitted that he can't rap. When they heard, Americans said, 'Good!'

I don't have to figure out how God is going to solve my problem. I don't have to understand how He's going to bring it to pass. That's His responsibility. My job is to simply believe that He will.

Every good thing depends on getting and keeping the power of the Holy Ghost in our lives. Everything depends on that.

The need of the moment is not one religion, but mutual respect and tolerance of the devotees of the different religions.

Error is far more common than fraud which probably comprises 1 percent or a tenth of a percent of the literature.