Oh! Tell Me Not
Mary C. Ryan’s poem offers encouragement by reminding us that what we do today matters for tomorrow.
Use your time well today, because tomorrow is built from what you choose now.
Updated January 30, 2026, by Catherine Pulsifer
Be encouraged by this poem by Mary C. Ryan. She reminds us that the future is shaped by what we do with our time and how we choose to work.
It is easy to blame luck when things do not go our way. But Ryan points us to a stronger truth. We all receive the same hours in a day. What matters is how we use them.
This poem calls us to choose purpose over delay. If we want a life we are proud of, we must use our time wisely and do the work in front of us.
The Poem - Oh! Tell Me Not
Oh! tell me not of love grown cold,
Nor of departed hopes;
These tales are sad and often told
By every heart that weeps.
But tell to me what good you'll seek
From this great world to gain;
Though fortune frowns and earth looks bleak,
You'll cherish no dull pain.
The future stands before us now
A mass of unhewn stone,
Which will into an image grow
Beneath time's hand alone.
And we to carve its features fair
Must use our time aright,
We have no days nor hours to spare,
But work we must with might.
All man can do. The greatest fame
Is e'er by trifles won,
Success's the meed of well spent time,
And peace, of tasks well done.
Key Messages From This Poem
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Focus on what is good and worth seeking.
The poem tells us not to stay stuck in sad stories, but to look ahead and choose a worthwhile goal.
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The future is shaped by time and effort.
Ryan compares the future to unhewn stone. Our daily choices shape it little by little.
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Success comes from well spent time and steady work.
The poem reminds us we have no hours to spare. Peace often comes from doing our tasks with care.
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Conclusion
Mary C. Ryan reminds us that we do not have to be controlled by regret or fear. We can choose what we will seek, and we can choose how we will spend our days.
The future may feel big and uncertain, but the poem makes it simple. Use your time wisely. Do the work with strength. Keep showing up, even when it is hard.
And when you do, you will find something priceless. A sense of peace that comes from tasks well done and time well spent.
More Famous Poems Of Encouragement to Inspire
A good life is built one faithful day at a time.