Poems that have a "becoming a man" theme

[Malachii]

For my English final I have to put together a packet on a coming of age theme, but I don't have a very wide knowledge of poems and was wondering if anyone wanted to help me out by posting poems or songs that they feel relate to this topic.

Thanks in advance [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Scotch78]

"If" by Rudyard Kipling

Scott

[multious]

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"If" by Rudyard Kipling

Scott

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i was going to post this [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[J-Mac]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
"If" by Rudyard Kipling

Scott

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i was going to post this [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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I thought of this when I saw the thread and realized that it would be nearly impossible for it not to be already mentioned. OP, FWIW, Im pretty sure I read somewhere that "If" is the most widely translated and read poem in the world, so if this is a class assignment I imagine that "If" is gonna show up in about 80% of the papers handed in. So Id be sure to at least have other stuff in there.

[Kimbell175113]

Maybe some C.K. Williams; can't remember any titles at the moment, busy with my own last-minute English final.

[Malachii]

That poem by Kipling is perfect. Thanks a lot!

[amplify]

"MY HEART LEAPS UP WHEN I BEHOLD"

My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man;
I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.

Wordsworth

[TheRover]

Lola

[Ricky_Bobby]

My dad gave me a framed copy of 'If' for my 18th birthday. Never thought I ever quite lived up to it but it is a profound bit of prose.

[Blarg]

It's enough to make you hate sh*t that's profound.

Seriously, who the f*ck is going to live up to that? I want two weeks worth of tea and sympathy every time I get a damn papercut. And this from a fairly weathered, angry son of a b*tch.