
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.
quote by William Shakespeare

Submitted by Dan Costinaş
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Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.
quote by William Shakespeare

Submitted by Dan Costinaş
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Sonnet: On Greatness
Greatness is not a thing, much like an art;
Some man turns great if on it he stumbles;
His greatness ceases, if he thinks, he's great;
Great is he truly who tho' great, humbles.
Greatness is not true greatness, self-proclaimed;
Greatness is not what world showers on us;
Greatness is neither got by being claimed.
Greatness is not achieved by making fuss.
Greatness could come if world decides to give;
Greatness will stay if God blesses our work;
Such greatness, God-destined comes while men live;
Greatness can grow even without much luck.
Greatness doesn't come to everyone on earth;
Some men are made great; some are great by birth.
poem by John Celes

Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some hire public relations officers.
quote by Daniel J. Boorstin

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The 'Potential' For Greatness IS There
If a greatness is indeed appreciated,
Wouldn't it take more than one to satiate the taste?
It would lessen the propaganda.
And the hype of it would not be faked.
'Well...
Okay.
Let me say...
The 'potential' for greatness is there.'
mmm...
That makes the taste of it easier to take,
Somehow.
That way,
My expectations aren't set so high.
And I can determine what is given,
More delicious than it is!
You get my point?
'I think so.
YOU want to determine,
The 'greatness'.
And when and 'if' that should be labelled as such!
Giving 'you' a purpose to encourage and spread the word.'
Of course.
I don't want to have it enforced.
I would think you would want my expectations to rise!
To declare something 'great'...
Leaves it to be criticized and opened to be downsized.
'Maybe we should hire you to do our marketing? '
Well...
As you yourself stated,
The 'potential' for greatness is there.
'I now can see,
The point you are making.
The potential for greatness 'IS' there.'
Exactly!
There is no need to overwhelm the message.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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The man who is anybody and who does anything is surely going to be criticized, vilified, and misunderstood. That is part of the penalty for greatness, and every great man understands it; and understands, too, that it is no proof of greatness. The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure continously without resentment.
quote by Elbert Hubbard

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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0162 Greatness
How great is greatness? asks my questing soul:
scenting behind that quest, eternity;
that dark which, studied, lights the dazzling whole
and brings to finite thought, infinity;
as when great singers sing, all hearts can sing;
great dancers give us sense that all can dance;
great actors speak for all of us; we think
to know all painted greatness at one glance:
we know already, greatness' unfenced whole,
we know that boundless place, the human heart;
Creation is no secret to our soul;
all being sings its song in every part.
How glorious those sages who can see
in everything that lives, totality!
poem by Michael Shepherd

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Greatness
You want to be led to greatness.
You believe that it comes,
Without pain and sacrifice.
You perceive it to be a condition taught.
Something instructed or can be bought.
Something delivered upon your acceptance.
But no one known that is considered great...
Waited in anticipation to have it placed,
And presented on a plate as they safely ate!
Greatness isn't something someone takes.
Greatness is announced...
After someone has been trounced,
Through the trenches!
And 'remarkably' survives.
Surprising even the one who is stunned.
This was not a consideration,
In the mind of one who kept focused...
On what at the time,
Needed to be done!
And greatness was bestowed,
By what one did and showed!
Rising to heights,
Inspite of opposition!
And not submitting to a conformity,
That sits and seeks to be led!
Greatness is ahead of those,
Following!
Those feeding,
Upon wishes to be fed!
By that which has been left,
To nibble and taste...
From pioneering explorations!
In a desperation to succeed!
And most times discovered,
In disregard of danger!
In disregard...
Of blood one might bleed!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Very few have excellence thrust upon them.
quote by John W. Gardner

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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From Where Shall I Greatness Buy?
Mom tells me to finish my homework quickly,
When I ask why? , she tells me
“You should become great as great as your dad”.
When I ask, where is my dad Mom?
She tells me, “He is now god’s guest.”
Again when I ask Mom,
“Can I not become great by being the god’s guest”?
She slaps me gently and tells me,
“Now just shut up and get your homework done”.
Little later when I ask she says,
“Your Dad fought like a tiger,
risking his life, he never bothered.
His gun has brought him greatness
and the honour of being the god’s guest.
Again when I ask,
“Do people become great when they fight”?
If so, I will beat in the school,
My friend Philip, with my might.”
Now, Mom calls me stupid and gives me a push.
Crying I go to sleep in her lap,
Now she says, “Tomorrow I will
give you pocket money for ice-cream”.
Wiping my eyes when I ask,
Mom! ”Can I by saving pocket money,
try greatness buy”?
Tell Mom, “From where shall I greatness buy”?
She tells, “Oh god help me”
and begins to cry.
poem by Dr. Sandeep Kumar Kar

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Extendibly Kept
Greatness declared,
Seems almost too simple to say.
Too simple to adorn that which isn't...
With such a high placed esteem.
Greatness just to say,
With few ways of it expressed.
Seems as if a parody,
Of what isn't there with wishes it could be.
A greatness achieved and extendibly kept,
Takes a constant self reflection.
And a careful watching of one's steps.
A greatness achieved and extendibly kept,
Takes repeated self examination.
With a wanting always to do one's best.
Greatness declared,
Seems almost too simple to say.
Too simple to adorn that which isn't...
With such a high placed esteem.
Greatness just to say,
With few ways of it expressed.
Seems as if a parody,
Of what isn't there with wishes it could be...
Forever peceived and to others believed.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Reaching The Pinnacle
Greatness!
And reaching the pinnacle,
Of fame and success...
Obtained carefully and taken by steps.
Can leave one unsuspecting...
Breathless.
And insecure at such a lofty height.
But that greatness achieved,
Is not a timeless annointment...
To be left to go unchecked.
Without a truth one should face,
With all that there is centered upon it...
To maintain as greatness is accomplished.
Can never be disrespected or it eventually fades.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Human Folly
The gods looked down upon the plebes
and roared a loud thunderous laugh.
Those arrogant humans never
Learn. They spend precious time flirting
Audaciously with foolishness;
They set their eyes toward heaven
And expect to achieve greatness.
By whose precious standards do they
Trust determining their greatness?
Their own supreme egotism
Suffices as their bellwether
And so therein lies their weakness
A trait exclusively human.
poem by Albert Ahearn

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Contributions Made By Their Champions
If it was notoriety, fame and fortune...
Many wanted to achieve to make them happy,
Why is happiness the last thing on their agenda...
When accomplishments done are made?
Who's dreams are people like this living to fulfill?
Is it possible that someone promoting their own desires,
Become upset after achieving the pinnacle of success?
It can not be their own if it is decided their lives lived,
No longer is worth the doing of it.
And those observing them do this to themselves,
Look upon them as objects and novelties...
Caring less no one protects their human qualities.
Or can detect them inside pleading,
For someone to help them not to self destruct.
'Thoroughbreds will always maintain their status,
As long as those around them recognize and value...
The contributions made by their champions.
And do their best to help them achieve a balanced outlook.
It has to be extremely difficult to be a thoroughbred.'
~Who said that? ~
'I just did!
Didn't you hear me?
A greatness sustained has to be more than just acknowledged.
It has to be assisted in the understanding as to why it is great.
And 'why' it is kept respected that way.
One does not awaken and decides greatness will be achieved.
It takes unbelieveable determination, motivation and love to do it.'
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Some have greatness thrust upon them, but not lately.
quote by Frank Dane

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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First To Thirst With An Impression Rehearsed
If success and the encouragement of it received,
Had always been the objective to reflect greatness...
The presence of failure would not have been introduced,
To produce mediocrity to use as an accomplished goal.
And those making attempts to reach higher to achieve,
Would never be opposed by disbelievers who deceive.
IF insecurities and greed were not priorities to feed...
First!
To thirst.
With an impression rehearsed upon those observing.
If success and the encouragement of it received,
Had always been the objective to reflect greatness...
The presence of failure would not have been introduced,
To produce mediocrity to use as an accomplished goal.
Or advocating divisions with an emphasis on race,
To minimize greatness and those benefits replaced!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Submitted by Poetry Lover
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There Are Poets Whose Greatness
THERE ARE POETS WHOSE GREATNESS
There are poets whose Greatness
Makes my poetry seem
As if it is not Poetry at all.
What am I to do
If I am not really one
Of the great ones?
But one who loves far more
the work of others
Than his own?
poem by Shalom Freedman

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We shall never resolve the enigma of the relation between the negative foundations of greatness and that greatness itself.
quote by Jean Baudrillard

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Greatness sympathises with greatness, and littleness shrinks into itself.
William Hazlitt in Pleasure of Hating

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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If any man seeks for greatness, let him forget greatness and ask for truth, and he will find both.
quote by Horace Mann

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Greatness, in order to gain recognition, must all too often consent to ape greatness.
quote by Jean Rostand

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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