---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Fox, Ruth May
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 10
number: 5
published: 1907-03
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Fox, Ruth May, "What You Will: A Poem," *Improvement Era* 10, no. 5 (March 1907): 379.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1005unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera1005unse
start_page: 379
end_page: 379
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1907-03)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1005unse
  publication_year: 1907
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1907, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# What You Will: A Poem

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WHAT YOU WILL.
(For the Improvement Era.)
You're starting out on a journey, my boy,
And the world is joyous and fair;
Her gardens are blooming for you, my boy,
She laughs away your care.
But earth is more than a play-ground, my boy,
And the world's a bit of a shrew;
She's sure to fling back in your teeth, my boy,
Whate'er you say or do.
And still she's an honest old dame, my boy.
Full measure for measure she gives
;
And her choicest gifts are to him, my boy.
Who nobly, gladly lives
—
Valiant for all that is good, my boy
;
Rejoicing in all that is true;
Imparting in youth what you'd have, my boy.
In age return to you.
Her gift of life is a glory, my boy;
Look! she let's down the rope for you.
That hand over hand you may climb, my boy,
For treasures old and new.
Up, up, till you scale the summit, my boy,
Don't throw your birthright away;
Hold up your head with the mightiest, boy;
Who wills it, wins the day.
Ruth Mat Foi.
•alt Lak« Oity, Utah.