I have spent what seems to be a lifetime looking for the complete poem -- I know only a few versus. I do not know the author.

Count your garden by the flowers,
Never by the leaves that fall,

Count your days by golden hours
Don't remember clouds at all. . . .

I don't even know if these lines are at the beginning, middle or ending of the poem.

Thanks for helping. D

Count your garden by the flowers,
Never by the leaves that fall.
Count your days by golden hours,
Don't remember clouds at all . . .
Count your nights by stars, not shadows,
Count your life with smiles, not tears.
And all throughout your lifetime,
Count your age by friends, not years.
--Anon.

Count your garden by the flowers,
Never by the leaves that fall.
Count your days by golden hours,
Don't remember clouds at all.
Count your nights by stars, not shadows.
Count your years with smiles, not tears.
Count your blessings, not your troubles.
Count your age by friends, not years.
--Author Unknown

Blessings to you and yours,

Sharon

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Copyright © 2000, 2001,2002 all rights reserved.
U.S. Library of Congress ISSN: 1536-5891
Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute One of a Kind News so long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author is attached. The author of this newsletter is: Sharon L. Demarte, M.A.


________________________________________________________
A note to all E-mule contributors, not all work which carries a copyright symbol is copyrighted to the person who copyrights the website.


Les

No comprendo. How can a work by 'anonymous' be copyright-protected by a website owner?

See also, [tinyurl.com]

My point Hugh, is that putting a copyright at the bottom of the page does not guarantee that the material therein was written by the person who placed the copyright there.

For example there is a quote on the Lost Quotations page that was found on the internet on two separate pages. I don't believe either author actually wrote the poem.

Les

My husband's grandmother's sister wrote many poems, most with quite a spark. I have recently found many she sent from Florida to Michigan, signed and dated. The words of this one seemed familiar, so I searched, and found your website. Here is her poem: (I corrected her spelling but retained her punctuation).

My Daily Prayer

God grant to me the strength of heart, of motive and of will,
To do my part and falter not, This purpose to fulfill.

To be a little kindlier with the passing of each day;
To leave but happy memories as I go along my way;
To use possessions that are mine in service full and free;
To sacrifice the trivial things for larger good to be;
To give of love in lavish way that friendships true may live;
To be less quick to criticize more ready to forgive;
To use such talents as I have that happiness may grow;
To be quite free from self interest, what’ere the task I do;
To take the bitter with the sweet, assured ‘tis better so;
To help the world’s faith in God and right, no matter how things run;
To work and plan and trust and pray, until the Journey’s done.
To count my garden by the flowers, never by the leaves that fall;
Count my days by golden hours, don’t remember clouds at all.
Count my nights by stars, not shadows, count my life by smiles not tears,
And with joy through all my lifetime, count my age by friends not years.

May D. Caswell
Dec. 3, 1941

I'm imagine you can copyright your entire newsletter without laying claim to everything in it.

Surely I could copyright my own book on ancient poetry without claiming any "rights" to the sagas quoted in it.

There can be copyright in a collection, if it's original, for example your particular selection and arrangement of items in a commonplace book or anthology. That's separate from any copyright in the items themselves. The same applies to a whole newsletter or book.

Count your garden by the flowers
never by the leaves that fall.
Count your days by golden hours
don't remember clouds at all.
Count the night by stars, not shadows.
Count your years by smiles, not tears.
And with joy on every birthday,
Count your life by friends not years.

Another version of the poem

The hymn book we use at church explains that while the words are copyright to the writers the page layout is copyright to the book publishers, so even if a page only contains hymns which are old enough to be out of copyright you still can't just photocopy the page but should type out the verses yourself.