LESSON 24
WHAT I LIVE FOR
1. I live for those who love me,
Whose hearts are kind and true;
For the heaven that smiles above me,
And awaits my spirit, too;
For all human ties that bind me,
For the task my God assigned me,
For the bright hopes left behind me,
And the good that I can do.
2. I live to learn their story,
Who suffered for my sake;
To emulate their glory,
And follow in their wake;
Bards, patriots, martyrs, sages,
The noble of all ages,
Whose deeds crown History's pages,
And Time's great volume make.
3. I live to hail that season,
By gifted minds foretold,
When man shall live by reason,
And not alone by gold;
When man to man united,
And every wrong thing righted,
The whole world shall be lighted
As Eden was of old.
4. I live for those who love me,
For those who know me true;
For the heaven that smiles above me,
And awaits my spirit, too;
For the cause that needs assistance,
For the wrongs that need resistance,
For the future in the distance,
And the good that I can do.
STUDY GUIDE
A. Word Definition
1.assigned:allotted,marked out.
2.emulate:to strive to equal.
3.wake:track left behind by vessel in water.
4.martyrs:those who sacrifice things of great value for principle.
5.sages:wise men.
6.hail:salute.
7.Eden:garden where Adam and Eve lived at time of Creation.
B. Comprehension Questions
1. “What I Live For” was been written by a man. Do you think it could have been easily written by a woman? Explain.
2. What is the moral of this poem?
3. Do you think the author was wealthy? Explain.
4. Label these statements true or false.
a. The author of “What I Live For” believes in God. _____
b. Wars are never fought over religion. _____
c. Islam is the world's most popular religion. _____
5. Do you think this poem would make a good hymn? Why or why not?
6. Jesus Christ was considered a _____.
a. bard
b. sage
c. patriot
d. martyr
7. Do you believe in life after death? Why or why not?
8. Do you think Christianity is always a force for good? Explain.
C. Writing Work
Write 200 words about your spiritual beliefs or why you don't have any.