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Keep Sweet
Life does not always go the way we hope. Disappointments come, plans change, and there are times when it would be easy to become discouraged or bitter. In Keep Sweet, Strickland Gillilan reminds us that while we cannot control everything that happens, we can choose the attitude we carry through it.
His message is simple but worth remembering. Do not allow troubles to take away your hope or let the actions of others change the person you want to be. Instead, look for the good, keep going when life is difficult, and offer encouragement to someone else who may be struggling.
Like many Famous Poems that continue to speak to us through the years, Keep Sweet reminds us that a positive attitude, a hopeful heart, and a willingness to help others can make life's difficult days a little easier.
Updated August 18, 2026, by Catherine Pulsifer.
Keep Sweet
Poet: Strickland Gillilan
Don't be foolish and get sour when things don't just come your way-
Don't you be a pampered baby and declare, "Now I won't play!"
Just go grinning on and bear it;
Have you heartache? Millions share it,
If you earn a crown, you'll wear it-
Keep sweet.
Don't go handing out your troubles to your busy fellow-men -
If you whine around they'll try to keep from meeting you again;
Don't declare the world's "agin" you,
Don't let pessimism win you,
Prove there's lots of good stuff in you-
Keep sweet.
If your dearest hopes seem blighted and despair looms into view,
Set your jaw and whisper grimly, "Though they're false, yet I'll be true."
Never let your heart grow bitter;
With your lips to Hope's transmitter,
Hear Love's songbirds bravely twitter,
Keep sweet.
Bless your heart, this world's a good one, and will always help a man;
Hate, misanthropy, and malice have no place in Nature's plan.
Help your brother there who's sighing.
Keep his flag of courage flying;
Help him try- 'twill keep you trying-
Keep sweet.
Quotes, from the poem, Keep Sweet
"Don't be foolish and get sour when things don't just come your way"
Strickland Gillilan
Life will not always go the way we planned. There will be disappointments, unexpected problems, and days when it seems that nothing is working out. But becoming discouraged or bitter will not make the situation better. We can acknowledge the difficulty and then look for what we can do next. A positive attitude does not make our problems disappear, but it can help us see possibilities that we may otherwise miss. Sometimes the best thing we can do is accept what we cannot change, work on what we can, and keep moving forward with hope.
"Don't go handing out your troubles to your busy fellow-men"
Strickland Gillilan
We all need someone to listen from time to time, and there is nothing wrong with asking for help when we need it. But there is a difference between sharing a burden and allowing our troubles to become the focus of every conversation. The people who care about us will often be glad to encourage us, offer advice, or simply listen. At the same time, we must remember that some problems are ours to work through. Support from others can give us strength, but we still have a part to play in finding the way forward.
"Never let your heart grow bitter"
Strickland Gillilan
Bitterness can quietly take away our joy if we allow past hurts and disappointments to remain in our thoughts. We may not be able to forget what happened, but we can choose not to let it control the way we see today. Holding on to love, kindness, and hope gives us a much better way to move forward. A heart that refuses to become bitter has room for happier days, new opportunities, and the good that may still be waiting ahead.
"Help your brother there who's sighing. Keep his flag of courage flying"
Strickland Gillilan
Sometimes a few encouraging words are exactly what another person needs. We may not be able to solve their problem, but we can listen, offer support, and remind them that they do not have to face a difficult day alone. Helping someone does not always require a grand gesture. A kind word, a little patience, or simply being there can restore hope. And as Gillilan reminds us, encouraging someone else to keep going may also strengthen our own courage.
Key Reflections From This Poem
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Our attitude is a choice
We cannot always choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we respond. Gillilan encourages us not to let disappointment or frustration take away the good attitude that can help us move forward.
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Do not let bitterness take hold
Difficult experiences can leave us discouraged, but carrying bitterness only adds to the burden. The poem reminds us to hold on to hope and not allow life's troubles to harden our hearts.
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Keep looking for the good
When things go wrong, it can be easy to focus only on the problem before us. Looking for what is still good can give us the courage and strength to keep going.
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Encouraging others helps us too
Gillilan reminds us to notice the person beside us who may also be struggling. Sometimes helping another person find courage can renew our own courage at the same time.
Popular Pages
Find more poems and quotes about choices, difficulties, helping others, hope, and keeping a positive outlook.
These Life Choices Poems offer thoughtful reminders about the decisions we make and the attitudes we carry through life.
When difficulties arise, these Poems About Trouble remind us that hard times can be faced with courage and hope.
These Poems About Helping Others celebrate the difference kindness and encouragement can make in another person's life.
Hold on to brighter possibilities with these Poems About Hope that encourage us not to give up when life becomes difficult.
These Positive Quotes offer uplifting thoughts about attitude, hope, and looking for the good in each day.
Conclusion
Keep Sweet leaves us with a simple message that can make a difference in how we face each day. Life will bring disappointments, difficult people, and circumstances we would never choose, but we do not have to allow them to make us bitter.
Strickland Gillilan encourages us to hold on to hope, keep a positive attitude, and help someone else find courage along the way. We may not be able to change every situation, but we can choose how we respond to it. And sometimes, simply choosing to "keep sweet" can change not only our own day, but the day of someone around us as well.
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