Say not, the struggle naught availeth,The labor and the wounds are vain,The enemy faints not, nor faileth,And as things have been, they remain.If hopes are dupes, fears may be liars;It may be, in yon smoke concealedYour comrades chase e'en now the fliersAnd, but for you, possess the field.For while the tired waves, vainly breaking,Seem here no painful inch to gain,Far back, through creeks and inlets making,Comes silent, flooding in, the main.And not by eastern windows only,When daylight comes, comes in the light;In front, the sun climbs slow, how slowly,But westward, look, the land is bright.

Summary

This quote from the poem "Say not the struggle naught availeth" by Arthur Hugh Clough encourages perseverance and hope in moments of struggle. Just because the labor and wounds seem in vain, it does not mean that the enemy is weakened or that the situation cannot change. Hopes may be deceptive, but fears can also mislead. The poem suggests that while progress may not be apparent in the immediate moment, it can be happening silently and steadily. It reminds us to keep pushing forward because even though the sun rises slowly in the east, eventually the light will shine on the land and bring brightness and success.

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