Be Kind
By Margaret Courtney
Be kind to thy father—for when thou wert young,
Who loved thee so fondly as he?
He caught the first accents that fell from thy tongue,
And joined in thine innocent glee.
Be kind to thy father, for now he is old,
His locks intermingled with grey;
His footsteps are feeble, once fearless and bold;
Thy father is passing away.
Be kind to thy mother—for lo! on her brow
May traces of sorrow be seen;
O, well mayest thou cherish and comfort her now,
For loving and kind hath she been.
Remember thy mother—for thee will she pray,
As long as God giveth her breath;
With accents of kindness, then cheer her lone way,
E'en to the dark valley of death.
Be kind to thy brother—his heart will have dearth,
If the smile of thy love be withdrawn;
The flowers of feeling will fade at their birth,
If the dew of affection be gone.
Be kind to thy brother—wherever you are,
The love of a brother shall be
An ornament purer and richer by far,
Than pearls from the depths of the sea.
Be kind to thy sister—not many may know
The depth of true sisterly love;
The wealth of the ocean lies fathoms below
The surface that sparkles above.
Thy kindness shall bring to thee many sweet hours,
And blessings thy pathway to crown;
Affection shall weave thee a garland of flowers,
More precious than wealth or renown.
Paraphrasing stanza by stanza
Stanza 1:
Original:
Be kind to thy father—for when thou wert young,
Who loved thee so fondly as he?
He caught the first accents that fell from thy tongue,
And joined in thine innocent glee.
Thy: your, thou/thee: you, thine: yours
Paraphrase:
Be gentle with your father, for when you were a child, no
one loved you more than he did. He listened to your first
words with great joy, And shared in your innocent happiness.
Stanza 2:
Original:
Be kind to thy father, for now he is old,
His locks intermingled with grey;
His footsteps are feeble, once fearless and bold;
Thy father is passing away.
Paraphrase:
Show kindness to your father, as he is now old.
His hair has turned grey. He walks slowly, once strong
and brave, and he is nearing the end of his life.
Stanza 3:
Original:
Be kind to thy mother—for lo! on her brow
May traces of sorrow be seen;
O, well mayest thou cherish and comfort her now,
For loving and kind hath she been.
Mayest: may
Paraphrase:
Be loving toward your mother, for her face may show
signs of sadness. Now is the time to appreciate and comfort her,
as she has always been loving and caring toward you.
Stanza 4:
Original:
Remember thy mother—for thee will she pray,
As long as God giveth her breath;
With accents of kindness, then cheer her lone way,
E'en to the dark valley of death.
Thee: you
Paraphrase:
Always keep your mother in your thoughts, for she will pray
for you. As long as she lives and God grants her breath (life).
Speak to her with words of kindness to brighten her lonely
path, even as she approaches the end of her life.
Stanza 5:
Original:
Be kind to thy brother—his heart will have dearth,
If the smile of thy love be withdrawn;
The flowers of feeling will fade at their birth,
If the dew of affection be gone.
Dearth: lack
Paraphrase:
Be caring toward your brother, for his heart will feel empty
if you stop showing him love. The warmth of affection will
wither (fade) away like flowers that don’t get water, if you
don’t offer your love and kindness.
Stanza 6:
Original:
Be kind to thy brother—wherever you are,
The love of a brother shall be
an ornament purer and richer by far,
Than pearls from the depths of the sea.
Paraphrase:
Be caring to your brother, no matter where you are;
a brother's love is like a treasure more valuable
than the purest and most beautiful pearls found in the
ocean.
Stanza 7:
Original:
Be kind to thy sister—not many may know
The depth of true sisterly love;
The wealth of the ocean lies fathoms below
The surface that sparkles above.
Paraphrase:
Be caring toward your sister, as not many people
understand the depth of true sisterly love. Her love
is like the hidden riches of the ocean, deep below
the surface, far more precious than what is visible on the outside.
Summary of the Poem "Be Kind"
The poem Be Kind by Margaret Courtney emphasizes
the importance of kindness within familial relationships.
The poet urges the reader to be compassionate and
caring toward their father, mother, brother, and sister,
each of whom plays a vital role in life. The poem highlights
the father’s sacrifice and aging, the mother’s unconditional
love and eventual loneliness, the brother’s need for affection,
and the sister’s deep and true love. The poet concludes by
stating that kindness and affection will bring blessings and
create a legacy more valuable than wealth or fame.
Theme of the Poem "Be Kind"
The central theme of the poem is family love and kindness. It highlights the role of empathy, care, and compassion
(sympathy) in maintaining strong familial bonds. The poet
suggests that kindness is a moral duty that brings joy and
fulfillment, not just to others but also to oneself. By
emphasizing the fleeting (short) nature of life, the poem
underscores the need to cherish and nurture relationships
while one has the chance.
Central Idea of the Poem "Be Kind"
The central idea of Be Kind is that kindness is the foundation of harmonious
relationships and the key to a meaningful life. The poet
reminds readers to show gratitude and affection to family
members—especially as they grow older and more
vulnerable—because these small acts of care leave a
lasting impact and foster mutual happiness. Through
kindness, one achieves true blessings that surpass
material wealth or worldly recognition.
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