Desiderata
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- For the wife of Charlemagne, see Gerperga.
Desiderata (Latin for "desired things", plural of desideratum) is a prose poem about attaining happiness in life. It was written in 1927 by Max Ehrmann. In the 1960s it became the subject of a hoax when claims were made that it had actually been discovered in a Baltimore church in 1692. A spoken-word recording of the essay was made by Les Crane and reached #8 on the Billboard magazine charts in late 1971.
Ehrmann obtained a federal copyright for Desiderata in 1927 (No. 962402). The copyright was bequeathed to his widow, Bertha, who left the copyright to her nephew at her death in 1962. In 1971 the nephew sold it for an undisclosed fee to Crescendo Publishing Co. The copyright for the Desiderata is currently owned by Robert Bell. However Ehrmann did not attach a copyright notice to a few freely distributed copies of the Desiderata, and in Bell v. Combined Registry Co., the court found the work to be effectively in the public domain. In other cases in other jurisdictions, Bell has been successful in protecting Ehrmann's copyright.[1]
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Text of the Desiderata
- Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
- If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
- Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
- Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
- Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
- Be cheerful.
- Strive to be happy.
The Baltimore hoax
Around 1965, copies of the poem were circulated to various publications with the fraudulent (or perhaps simply mistaken) attribution "Found in Old Saint Paul's Church, Baltimore; Dated 1692". The essay was widely reprinted on the assumption that it was in the public domain. Even Analog Science Fiction and Science Fact was taken in. The misconception continues to this day.
One common explanation for the misunderstanding is that the poem was found on the church's letterhead, which listed the church as being founded in 1692 but gave no attribution for the poem.
General
Text variations. Some published versions of the essay end with the phrase "Be careful" rather than "Be cheerful". Lacking a definitive published source, the reader may decide which is in keeping with the rest of the poem.
Opposed admonitions. Some verses are in the form of opposed admonitions: Exercise caution ... for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is ... Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. This lends some credence to the alternate phrasing "Be careful", opposing the following phrase "Strive to be happy."
Amusing parody: 'Deteriorata' (1972)
Les Crane's version was parodied as "Deteriorata"[2] by National Lampoon in 1972.
Other uses of 'desiderata'
Desiderata, in libraries, is a list of books desired.
Desiderata, the title of a song by Lazyboy, the text of the poem is spoken in the backround of the song.pl:Dezyderata_(utwór) de:Desiderata