Can't, stanza 4, p. 54.
• Edgar Guest, "Can't" (poem on YouTube)
• Edgar Guest, "Can't" (poem on YouTube)
“
Can't is the word that is foe to ambition,
An enemy ambushed to shatter your will;
Its prey is forever the man with a mission
And bows but to courage and patience and skill.
Hate it, with hatred that's deep and undying,
For once it is welcomed 'twill break any man;
Whatever the goal you are seeking, keep trying
And answer this demon by saying: "I can."
— Edgar Guest
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Can't is the word that is foe to ambition,
An enemy ambushed to shatter your will;
Its prey is forever the man with a mission
And bows but to courage and patience and skill.
Hate it, with hatred that's deep and undying,
For once it is welcomed 'twill break any man;
Whatever the goal you are seeking, keep trying
And answer this demon by saying: "I can." " in the context of "Can't, stanza 4, p. 54.
• Edgar Guest, "Can't" (poem on YouTube)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Edgar Guest" (Quotes, A Heap o' Livin' (1916): Book text in Project Gutenberg )
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Edgar Guest
Edgar Albert Guest (August 20, 1881 - August 5, 1959) (aka Eddie Guest) was a prolific English-born American poet who was popular in the first half of the 20th century and became known as the People's Poet.
About Edgar Guest
Edgar Albert Guest (August 20, 1881 - August 5, 1959) (aka Eddie Guest) was a prolific English-born American poet who was popular in the first half of the 20th century and became known as the People's Poet.
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