Masta Ace - I Refuse

Y'all can hear me now; yeah, I know you could
And confidence rings through when you know you're good
And greatness is defined by the length of time
That one man can stand with the strength of nine
And smile into the face of adversity
And then say this ain't as bad as the worst can be
That's when you know you're the cream of the crop
Way back when you was young, you would dream of the top
Schemin', scopin', hopin'
Knowin' that a lane is open
'Cause when you're forced to eat your words
That's the same as chokin'
So you strive to set the bar higher
Intoxicatin' heat -- hotter than a car fire
And when the rubber meet the road
Like a car tire
You'll be on top, and sharper than barbed wire

Be confident. Keep your skills sharp. And always stay hungry. Platitudinous? Perhaps. But Masta Ace makes it sound so profound.

And yes, my excerpts are usually shorter, but paring down this poetry was just too tall a task.  Enjoy!

Surreal and the Sound Providers - Push On

It's been a long journey, a long road
Filled with potholes and obstacles
I've fallen so many times
It forge character tho'
And growth in my rhymes
Now when I fall, I'm older
Get up, smile, brush the dirt of my shoulders
...
Right now, there's no time to waste
Put your best foot forward and try to keep pace

I not sure I have much to add to this. I'll admit, I'm not a believer in the the "power of positive thinking." Hoping for the best won't unstack your deck; being optimistic isn't going to tip the scales of the Universe in your favor.

But.

Maintaining a positive outlook, even temporarily, does feel good. That's reason enough to try.