美国著名诗人道格拉斯•马洛奇（1877-1938）的一首小诗。  

                           做最好的自己

           如果你不能成为山颠上一颗挺拔的松树，

           就做一颗山谷中的灌木吧！
              但要做一颗溪边最好的灌木。

           如果你不能成为一颗苍天大树，

           那就做一片灌木丛林吧！
              如果你不能成为一丛灌木，
              何妨就做一颗小草，给道路带来一片生机！

            你如果做不了麋鹿，
              就做一条小鱼也不错，
              但要做湖中最活泼的一条！

           我们不能都做船长，总得有人做船员，
              不过每人都得各司其职。
              不管是大事还是小事，
              我们都得完成份内的工作。

            做不了大路，何不做条羊肠小道，
              不能成为太阳，又何妨当颗星星！

           成败不在于大小——只在于你是否已竭尽所能！

Be the Best
by Douglas Malloch 

If you can't be the pine at the top of the hill
Be a shrub in the valley below
The best little scrub in the valley below

Be a bush if you can't be a tree
If you can't be a bush, be a bit of the grass
And some highway happier make

If you can't be a muskie, then just be a bass
But be the liveiest bass in the Lake!

We can't all be captains, we've got to be crew
There's something for all of us here
There's big work to do and lesser to do
And the task we must do is the near

If you can't be a highway then just be a trail
If you can't be the sun, be a star
It isn't by size that you win or you fail
Be the best of whatever you are.