Swami Vivekananda                           

To My Own Soul

(Composed at Ridgely Manor, New York, in 1899.)

Hold yet a while, Strong Heart,
Not part a lifelong yoke
Though blighted looks the present, future gloom.

And age it seems since you and I began our
March up hill or down. Sailing smooth o'er
Seas that are so rare-
Thou nearer unto me, than oft-times I myself-
Proclaiming mental moves before they were!

Reflector true-Thy pulse so timed to mine,
Thou perfect note of thoughts, however fine-
Shall we now part, Recorder, say ?

In thee is friendship, faith,
For thou didst warn when evil thoughts were brewing-
And though, alas, thy warning thrown away,
Went on the same as ever-good and true.

- Swami Vivekananda

Below is the version of his poem 'To My Own Soul' the Swami gave to Josephine MacLeod  as she was leaving Ridgely October 9 1899 for California to attend to her ailing brother Taylor MacLeod.

It is similar to the version published in the compete works but the lines break quite differently.

 To My Own Soul*

Hold yet a while, Strong Heart,

Not part a lifelong yoke

Though blighted looks the present, future gloom.

age it seems since you and I began our March up hill or down. Sailing smooth o'er Seas that are so rare -

Thou nearer unto me than oft-times I myself --Proclaiming mental moves before they were!

Reflector true ~ Thy pulse so timed to mine, Thou perfect note of thoughts however fine — Shall we now part, Recorder, say?

In thee is friendship, faith,

For thou didst warn when evil thoughts were brewing -

And though, alas, thy warning thrown away,

Went on the same as ever — good and true.

*Not found in the Complete Works