May 8Make Enough Noise
Beat! beat! drums!—blow! bugles! blow! / Make no parley—stop for no expostulation, / Mind not the timid—mind not the weeper or prayer, / Mind not the old man beseeching the young man, / Let not the child's voice be heard, nor the mother's entreaties, / Make even the trestles to shake the dead where they lie awaiting the hearses, / So strong you thump O terrible drums—so loud you bugles blow.
Walt Whitman—“Beat! Beat! Drums!” (1861)
Whitman's dramatic poem was a visual and auditory warning meant to describe the perils of the impending American Civil War.
He encourages those who would listen to carry out a mission to wake those who must wake—must heed the warning to never stop—never mind the pile of obstacles and excuses in your way.
While perhaps a tad overdramatic for our entrepreneurial journey, the commitment needed mirrors the type of single-minded determination extolled by the poet.
Make enough noise to silence your critics.
Challenge Question
- When was the last time someone told you that you couldn't do something? How did you react?
Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.
Read now
Unlock full access