Classic Poem

Drop a pebble in the water — jes' a splash an' it is gone,
But th's half a hundred ripples circlin' on, an' on, an' on,
Spreadin', spreadin' from the center, flowin' on out to the sea,
An' th' ain't no way o' tellin' where th' end is goin' to be.
Drop a pebble in the water — in a minute ye forget,
But th's little waves a-flowin' an' th's ripples circlin' yet;
All th' ripples flowin', flowin', to a mighty wave hev grown,
An' ye've disturbed a mighty river — jes' by droppin' in a stone.
Drop an unkind word or careless — in a minute it is gone,
But th's half a hundred ripples circlin' on, an' on, an' on.
Th' keep spreadin', spreadin', spreadin' from th' center as th' go,
An' th' ain't no way to stop 'em, once ye've started 'em to flow.
Drop an unkind word or careless — in a minute ye forget,
But th's little waves a-flowin' an' th's ripples circlin' yet;
An' perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears ye've stirred,
An' disturbed a life 'et's happy when ye dropped an unkind word.

Drop a word o' cheer an' kindness — jes' a flash an' it is gone,
But th's half a hundred ripples circlin' on, an' on, an' on,
Bearin' hope an' joy an' comfort on each splashin', dashin' wave,
Till ye wouldn't b'lieve the volume o' th' one kind word ye gave.
Drop a word o' cheer an' kindness — in a minute ye forget,
But th's gladness still a-swellin' an' th's joy a-circlin' yet;
An' ye've rolled a wave of comfort whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles an' miles o' water — jes' by droppin' a kind word.