The Junk Box
The verses in this poem represent many a person. Keeping things for when we need it, as everything is useful and has a purpose. The poem then takes a turn and refers to mankind and reminds us that each and every person has worth to offer and service to give. Edgar A Guest expresses wisdom in these verses!
"Every person has value, even when life has left them bent and worn."
Updated February 16, 2026, by Catherine Pulsifer.
This poem starts out with a simple lesson from a father to a son. Do not toss things away too quickly because what seems useless today may be just what you need tomorrow. But Edgar A. Guest does not stop at nails and bolts. He moves our thoughts to people.
Sometimes we judge someone by their rough edges, their past mistakes, or the way they have failed. This poem reminds us to look again. A person may be hurting, discouraged, or lacking confidence, but that does not mean they have nothing to offer. With patience and kindness, we can see potential where others only see problems.
The Junk Box
My father often used to say:
"My boy, don’t throw a thing away;
You’ll find a use for it someday.”
So in a box he stored up things,
Bent nails, old washers, pipes and rings,
And bolts and nuts and rusty springs.
Despite each blemish and each flaw,
Some use for everything he saw.
With things material, this was law.
And often when he’d work to do,
He searched the junk box through and through,
And found old stuff as good as new.
And I have often thought since then,
That father did the same with men;
He knew he’d need their help again.
It seems to me he understood,
That men, as well as iron and wood,
May broken be and still be good.
Despite the vices he’d display,
He never threw a man away,
But kept him for another day.
A human junk box is this earth,
And into it we’re tossed at birth,
To wait the day we’ll be of worth.
Though bent and twisted, weak of will,
And full of flaws and lacking skill,
Some service each can render still.
Key Messages in this poem:
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Do not be quick to throw things away.
What looks like junk can still be useful when the right moment comes.
-
People are more than their flaws.
Someone may be struggling, but they still have worth and can do good.
-
Give others another chance.
Like a junk box, life holds many who may be helpful again in time.
-
Kindness looks for value.
A caring heart sees what a person can become, not only what they are today.
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Conclusion
The Junk Box is a reminder to be careful with our judgments. A rusty nail can still hold something together, and a person with a past can still do good. This poem encourages us to look for usefulness, not just neatness. It also nudges us to be patient, because sometimes worth is revealed over time.
More Edgar A. Guest Poems to Inspire
"The best way to honor the worth in others is to treat them with patience, respect, and hope."