A Good Man

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I

A good man never dies--
  In worthy deed and prayer
And helpful hands, and honest eyes,
  If smiles or tears be there:
Who lives for you and me--
  Lives for the world he tries
To help--he lives eternally.
  A good man never dies.


II

Who lives to bravely take
  His share of toil and stress,
And, for his weaker fellows' sake,
  Makes every burden less,--
He may, at last, seem worn--
  Lie fallen--hands and eyes
Folded--yet, though we mourn and mourn,
  A good man never dies.

© James Whitcomb Riley