This Is To Have Succeeded Poem by Dave Dullum

To have laughed often and loved much;
To win the respect of intelligent people, and the affection of children;
To earn the acclaim of honest critics,
and to endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, and find the best in others;
To give oneself, and to leave this world a bit better place, whether it be by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm, and sing a song with exultation;
To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived;
This is to have Succeeded.