We Must Believe
The poem explores the idea that faith and conviction are essential for personal growth and happiness. It emphasizes the importance of having a strong sense of purpose and direction in life. The speaker argues that one must believe in themselves and their abilities in order to achieve success and fulfillment.
By James Whitcomb Riley · First published 1883 · Genre: Poetry, Religious, Inspirational · 464 words
First lines
_"Lord, I believe: help Thou mine unbelief. "_
We must believe -- Being from birth endowed with love and trust -- Born unto loving; -- and how simply just That love -- that faith! -- even in the blossom-face The babe drops dreamward in its resting-place, Intuitively conscious of the sure Awakening to rapture ever pure And sweet and saintly as the mother's own, Or the awed father's, as his arms are thrown O'er wife and child, to round about them weave And wind and bind them as one harvest-sheaf Of love -- to cleave to, and _forever_ cleave.
What this Textopian page supports
We Must Believe is listed on Textopian as a poem by James Whitcomb Riley, dated 1883 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: James Whitcomb Riley
- Date: 1883 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Religious, Inspirational, Philosophical
- Length: 464 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Genres
- Poetry — The text is structured in verse form with a rhythmic and lyrical quality, characteristic of poetry.
- Religious — The themes revolve around faith, belief, and spiritual introspection, common in religious literature.
- Inspirational — The work encourages belief and hope, aiming to inspire and uplift the reader.
- Philosophical — It explores existential themes such as the search for meaning and the nature of belief, typical of philosophical works.
Tags
Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century · Philosophy · Spirituality · Faith · Belief · Hope · Optimism · Pessimism · Existentialism · Mortality