I have the last two lines to a peom: "I have to live with myself and so, I want to be fit for myself to know."

This is all I have to a poem that my mother was required to memorize in the 1930s. Can you help?

Thank you.

This is what I have - no title, I'm afraid;

I have to live with myself, and so
I want to be fit for myself to know
I want to be able, as the years go by,
Always to look myself in the eye.
I don't want to stand with the setting sun
And hate myself for the things I've done.

by Samuel Massey (a US College Head)

But we could give it a title, Marian!

My Conscience and I
Self respect
Powered by Esteem

I'm sure you can think of something better.

Myself

by Edgar Guest


I have to live with myself, and so
I want to be fit for myself to know.
I want to be able, as days go by,
Always to look myself straight in the eye.
I don't want to stand with the setting sun,
And hate myself for things I have done.
I don't want to keep on a closet shelf
A lot of secrets about myself,
And fool myself, as I come and go,
Into thinking that nobody else will know
The kind of man I really am;
I don't want to dress up myself in shame.
I want to go out with my head erect,
I want to deserve all men's respect;
But here in the struggle for fame and self
I want to be able to like myself
I don't want to look at myself and know
That I'm bluster and bluff, an empty show.
I can never hide myself from me;
I see what others may never see.
I know what others may never know,
I never can fool myself, and so,
Whatever happens, I want to be
Self-respecting and conscience free.


Les

Nice catch, Les! Certainly sounds like Guest all right.