---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 16
number: 9
published: 1913-07
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Poem," *Improvement Era* 16, no. 9 (July 1913).
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1609unse
  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: improvementera1609unse
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1913-07)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1609unse
  publication_year: 1913
  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 1913, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Poem

<!-- Illustration or unnumbered editorial plate in source. -->

J1 iiHi 0 sharp and many are the thorns of life, From youth till age their pains with us abide. 0 deep the wounds oft made from years o r strife; With smiles we fain this aching pain would hide. How many souls have felt the thorn of doubt, Until pale fear has made of us a slave! Then faded hopes but meet our gaze throughout, And tears fall fast on dead ambition's grave How oft a weariness of life is born! Dark sorrow and despair our faith o'ercome; Our hearts are pierced until, all bleeding, torn, The weary senses with the pain grow numb. And yet, some day the soul will struggle free, As does the sun from out a great storm-cloud; 'Tis then the meaning of life's thorns we'll see, When with immortal wisdom we're endowed. Hope. \ W^k