What Kind Of Person Are You

For years psychologists have attempted to divide people into various categories. Sometimes an observant poet can do a better job. Ella Wheeler Wilcox did so in the poem “Which Are You?”

• There are two kinds of people on earth today; Just two kinds of people, no more, I say.
• Not the sinner and saint, for it’s well understood, That the good are half-bad and the bad half-good.
• Not the rich and the poor, for to rate a man’s wealth, You must first know the state of his conscience and health. 
• Not the humble and proud, for in life’s little span, Who puts on vain airs, is not counted a man.
• Not the happy and sad, for the swift flying years Bring each man his laughter and each man his tears.
• No; the two kinds of people on earth I mean, Are the people who lift, and the people who lean.
• Wherever you go, you will find the earth’s masses, Are always divided in just these two classes.
• And oddly enough, you will find too, I ween, There’s only one lifter to twenty who lean.
• In which class are you?
• Are you easing the load of over taxed lifters, who toil down the road?
• Or are you a leaner, who lets others share your portion of labour, and worry and care?

~ by mi2omar on June 13, 2009.